He made the remarks while
responding to questions from journalists at a press briefing on the progress of
various government activities at the Secretariat.
Zahed said the government had
considered several options from the United States, Europe and China while
assessing modern multirole fighter aircraft.
After evaluating the
options, the Chinese aircraft appeared to be comparatively advantageous for
Bangladesh, he said.
According to the adviser,
aircraft with similar capabilities can be purchased at a significantly lower
cost from China.
Even if you calculate the
cost, it could be less than half, perhaps close to one-third, he said.
Zahed also spoke about the
current capabilities of the Bangladesh Air Force.
He said the MiG-29, among the
country’s most advanced fighter aircraft, is now available only in a small
number and those aircraft are not fully operational. The F-7 fighter jets,
meanwhile, are considerably older, he added.
The adviser said the
acquisition of modern multirole fighter aircraft is already included in the
country’s “Forces Goal”.
So, this is not a decision
taken suddenly. It is part of a specific plan, he said.
However, Zahed said the
government would remain cautious about allegations of corruption in defence
procurement.
He referred to allegations of
corruption surrounding the purchase of MiG-29 fighter jets in the past, which
led to lawsuits and other developments.
Asked about reports that
Bangladesh and the United States had reached a new agreement to purchase Boeing
aircraft, Zahed said the government had not made any announcement on the
matter.
So, it is not possible for
us to comment on it from the government’s side, he said.
If any agreement has been reached, the
government itself will announce it. There is no reason to keep such an
agreement secret. If the government signs a deal, it will certainly make it public, the adviser added.
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Published Date : September 1, 2026
