Airbus Deal Set to Deepen Bangladesh-EU Ties: Michael Miller
The agreement between Biman Bangladesh Airlines and Airbus to purchase aircraft will further deepen trade and investment ties between Bangladesh and the European Union (EU), EU Ambassador and Head of Delegation to Bangladesh Michael Miller has said.
Speaking at the signing ceremony at Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden Hotel on Tuesday night, Miller said choosing Airbus reflects Bangladesh’s focus on economic modernisation, safety, international competitiveness and value for money.
He described the agreement as an important moment for Bangladesh and a strategic step towards stronger commercial and investment relations between Bangladesh and Europe. He said the deal gives importance to international competitiveness, innovation and reliability, as well as economic modernisation, safety and value for money.
Miller said choosing Airbus would further strengthen ties between Bangladesh and Europe. He said the decision reflects an investment in a partnership that has played an important role in Bangladesh’s economic success. He added that the partnership would continue to grow based on trust, cooperation and a shared goal of long-term prosperity.
The EU ambassador also spoke about Bangladesh’s goal of expanding its economy. He said the European Union supports the target of turning Bangladesh into a trillion-dollar economy in the coming years. He said the country’s ambition to become one of the world’s top 30 economies by 2030 could also be part of this progress.
Miller said the aviation sector could play an important role in achieving these goals. He also expressed the EU’s support for the government’s initiatives to advance Bangladesh’s economy and said the EU supports Bangladesh’s smooth graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category.
He also mentioned that Bangladesh and the EU have begun exploratory discussions on a free trade agreement (FTA). Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir, Invest Bangladesh Executive Chairman Ashik Chowdhury, and Airbus India and South Asia President and Managing Director Jurgen Westermeier attended the ceremony.
