Last Updated on August 26, 2026 12:17 am by INDIAN AWAAZ
File photo
Zakir Hossain from Dhaka
Bangladesh is moving ahead with plans to acquire China’s J-10CE multirole fighter jets and attack helicopters as part of efforts to modernise its air force, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s adviser Zahed Ur Rahman said on Tuesday.
Zahed said a government committee has already held negotiations over the possible purchase and prepared a draft agreement. The deal will move forward if budget support is available in the current financial year; otherwise, it could be shifted to the next budget cycle, he said.
The J-10CE is a Chinese fourth-generation-plus multirole combat aircraft developed by Chengdu Aircraft Corporation. Pakistan is currently the only confirmed foreign operator of the export version.
Zahed said Chinese fighter jets were also considerably cheaper than comparable European aircraft.
“If we compare aircraft of similar quality, Chinese fighters are much cheaper than their European counterparts,” he said.
The adviser said Bangladesh is also considering other defence acquisitions, including different models of multirole combat aircraft, fighter jets, attack helicopters, VIP helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems.