US-Bangla opens $12 million letter of credit, 146 new pieces of ground service equipment on the way
Photo: Collected
US-Bangla Airlines plans to invest about $22 million to provide international-standard service by improving passenger service, ground operations capacity and flight punctuality. The company said a letter of credit worth $12 million has already been opened for the purpose.
In a press release today, Thursday (5 November), US-Bangla said 146 more pieces of equipment will be added to the 590 pieces of ground service equipment it currently has. It will operate 80 electric vehicles (EVs) at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
According to the press release, having passed a dozen years since its founding, US-Bangla is moving to strengthen its position internationally. The company currently has 25 aircraft in its fleet.
It plans to add 21 more Boeing 737-series aircraft to the fleet by December 2027. The airline now operates flights to 14 international destinations in 10 countries, and has also moved to add about 16 new international destinations.
US-Bangla is focusing on keeping ground service equipment adequate in line with the growing number of aircraft. It plans to add the 146 new pieces of equipment within the next 3 to 4 months.
The new equipment includes aircraft pushback tractors and towbars, baggage belt loaders, baggage tractors, passenger boarding stairs, ground power units, air start units, catering trucks, water and lavatory service trucks and various other ramp support equipment.
The press release said flight punctuality and efficient operations do not depend on aircraft alone; modern ground equipment, skilled human resources and coordinated management are also essential parts.
Ground support is also being expanded as part of the plan to build regional hubs in Chattogram and Sylhet.
To build an environment-friendly aviation system, US-Bangla plans to operate 80 electric vehicles at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in line with the government’s electric vehicle industry development policy. Work is under way to install charging infrastructure for these vehicles.
US-Bangla said charging stations for electric vehicles have been installed at various airports in North America, Europe, the Middle East, East Asia, South-East Asia, South Asia, Oceania, Latin America and Africa.
The airports named in the press release include, in North America, New York’s JFK, Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Toronto Pearson and Quebec City; in Europe, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Manchester, London Heathrow and Istanbul; and in the Middle East, Dubai International, Doha Hamad, Abu Dhabi, Jeddah and Riyadh.
Charging stations are also in place at Beijing Capital, Tokyo Narita, Hong Kong, Macau and Seoul in East Asia; Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok in South-East Asia; Delhi and Bangalore in South Asia; Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney in Oceania; Santiago and Bogota in Latin America; and Nairobi and Johannesburg airports in Africa.
According to US-Bangla, once the infrastructure is ready, using electric vehicles in various airport ground operations will reduce fuel dependence and local carbon emissions. This will make it possible to build modern, environment-friendly ground operations.
The press release noted that various government initiatives — construction of the third terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, airport modernisation, development of communication infrastructure and building an environment-friendly transport system — are creating new opportunities in the country’s aviation sector.
In coordination with the government’s development initiatives, US-Bangla Airlines is working to raise the country’s aviation industry to international standards by increasing private sector investment and capacity.
Background
According to a Daily Inqilab report of 29 July, US-Bangla announced at an event at Sheraton Dhaka in the capital that day that it would add 21 new Boeing aircraft to its fleet with an investment of about $1.5 billion. They comprise 15 Boeing 737-8s and 6 Boeing 737-800s, due to join the fleet in phases by 2027.
Sources
Background sources: Daily Inqilab, 29 July 2026
