European commercial aircraft manufacturing giant Airbus is interested in building a strong and long-term collaboration with Bangladesh to contribute to the sustainability and advancement of the country's aviation sector.
This proposal was came up while visiting Airbus Executive Vice President (International) Wouter van Wersch held a meeting with the civil aviation and tourism minister Muhammad Faruk Khan at the secretariat here.
The Airbus Vice president was accompanied by French Ambassador to Bangladesh Marie Masdupuy and British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke.
"Airbus is keen to provide different types of technical assistance as well as offering training to the workforce working in Bangladesh's aviation sector. That's why we are working to build up a strategic partnership with Bangladesh's Aviation University", Wouter said.
He said his company would like to be a partner in making Bangladesh as an aviation hub.
Currently, a negotiation is going on between the state-owned Biman Bangladesh Airlines and Airbus as Bangladesh government to purchase new aircraft for the national flag carrier.
Fauk Khan said Biman has formed a high level evaluation committee to review the Airbus's financial proposal in this connection.
Meanwhile, the minister said Boeing has likewise given a decent proposition which is also under Biman's review. "Which will be good for Bangladesh and Biman and we will consider that", Faruk added.
He said as per Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's directive his ministry is working to transform Bangladesh into a major aviation hub in South Asia.
Later, French multinational company Thales International Bangladesh Country Director Benoit Nalin held a separate meeting with Faruk Khan.
In the meeting, Nalin showed his keen interest to provide technical assistance to Bangladesh aviation's Air traffic management, developing the Instrument Landing System (ILS) and Smart airport management.
Thales designs, develops and manufactures electrical systems as well as devices and equipment for aerospace, defence, transportation and security sectors.
