Bangladesh JF-17 deal: Veterans warn $720 million Sino-Pak jet buy risks BAF
Synopsis
Bangladesh's reported USD 400-720 million plan to buy 16-48 JF-17 Thunder jets from a Sino-Pakistani supply chain is drawing rare pushback from its own air force veterans. Citing the platform's poor showing during Operation Sindoor and the 2025 F-7 crash that killed 20 schoolchildren in Dhaka, critics warn PM Tarique Rahman's June Beijing trip could lock Bangladesh into a strategic orbit it cannot easily exit.
Key Takeaways
Bangladesh is reportedly close to finalising a USD 400-720 million deal for 16 to 48 JF-17 Block III fighter jets ahead of PM Tarique Rahman's June China visit.
Retired BAF veterans cite the JF-17's reported underperformance during India's Operation Sindoor as a key red flag.
A JF-17 crash near Kamra and a 20 May PAF training jet crash were allegedly subject to state-sponsored cover-ups.
In 2025 , a Chinese-made F-7 trainer crashed into Dhaka's Milestone School and College , killing over 20 students .
A full-scale JF-17 Block III simulator was flown into Dhaka in May 2026 — the first Pakistani military hardware in Bangladesh since 1971 .
Retired Bangladesh Air Force veterans have reportedly raised sharp concerns over Dhaka's proposed acquisition of the China-designed, Pakistan-manufactured JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, warning that the platform's combat performance was found wanting during India's Operation Sindoor last year. The procurement, valued at an estimated USD 400-720 million for 16 to 48 aircraft, is reportedly being firmed up ahead of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's maiden state visit to China in June.
Veterans flag combat record
A retired Bangladesh Air Commodore, speaking on the condition of anonymity, was quoted by Eurasia Review as saying that 'Pakistan clearly failed to counter the Indian precision strikes conducted mostly beyond visual range during Operation Sindoor.' The officer added that the equipment 'came a cropper' in the four-day conflict, forcing Islamabad to seek US intervention to halt hostilities.
Beijing's push and the Dhaka deal
Political analyst Anjuman A Islam, writing in Eurasia Review, noted that Chinese Ambassador to Dhaka Yao Wen has reportedly lined up Bangladesh's military top brass, including the Army and Air Force Chiefs, to back the JF-17 deal. A high-level Pakistani delegation recently visited Bangladesh to push the sale, even as a Pakistan Air Force training aircraft crash on 20 May and a separate reported JF-17 crash near Kamra have triggered what the report calls 'a systematic and prompt state-sponsored cover up' by Islamabad and Beijing.
Echoes of the Milestone School tragedy
The renewed scrutiny comes against the backdrop of Bangladesh's deadliest aviation disaster in years. In 2025, a Chinese-made F-7 training aircraft of the Bangladesh Air Force crashed into the Milestone School and College in Dhaka due to a technical glitch, killing over 20 students and injuring hundreds. Critics argue the incident underscored the reliability questions trailing Chinese military hardware exports.
The simulator that signalled intent
According to a report in the Australian Institute of International Affairs, a Pakistan Air Force C-130J landed in Dhaka in May 2026 carrying a full-scale JF-17 Thunder Block III combat simulator — the first piece of Pakistani military aviation hardware to enter Bangladesh since 1971. It was delivered during the first formal Air Staff Talks between the two air forces and is being positioned as a training tool ahead of the broader procurement.
A strategic, not just operational, choice
Defence commentators have justified the purchase on operational grounds, citing the ageing F-7BG and MiG-29 fleets and the Forces Goal 2030 modernisation plan. However, the AIIA report cautions that the deal overlooks long-term fiscal burdens and the political alignments implied by tying Bangladesh's defence future to a Sino-Pakistani supply chain amid economic fragility. 'A fighter jet is never merely a weapons platform. It is a political instrument, an economic commitment,' the report stated, warning Dhaka may be 'buying into a strategic orbit from which exit will be difficult.'
What's next
The contours of the deal are expected to crystallise during Prime Minister Rahman's June visit to Beijing. Calls are growing within Dhaka's policy circles for parliamentary scrutiny, independent economic analysis, and open public debate before the commitment is finalised.
Point of View
But the real cost is strategic lock-in. Once Dhaka plugs into a Sino-Pakistani supply chain for spares, training and upgrades, its room to manoeuvre on India, the US and the wider Indo-Pacific narrows materially. The Operation Sindoor record and the unresolved Kamra crash should, at minimum, force a parliamentary debate — yet the deal is moving on ambassadorial diplomacy and air staff talks, not democratic scrutiny. For a country still mourning the Milestone School tragedy, that is the wrong process for a generational defence bet.
NationPress
11 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the JF-17 fighter jet deal Bangladesh is reportedly considering?
Bangladesh is reportedly in advanced talks to procure between 16 and 48 JF-17 Thunder Block III multirole fighters, jointly designed by China and manufactured by Pakistan. The deal is estimated at USD 400-720 million and is expected to be advanced during PM Tarique Rahman's June visit to China.
Why are Bangladesh Air Force veterans opposing the JF-17 purchase?
Retired BAF officers have flagged the JF-17's combat performance during India's Operation Sindoor, where Pakistani jets reportedly failed to counter Indian beyond-visual-range strikes. They have also pointed to recent crashes near Kamra and a 20 May PAF training aircraft accident that were allegedly covered up by Islamabad and Beijing.
How is the 2025 Milestone School crash connected to this debate?
In 2025, a Chinese-made F-7 training aircraft of the Bangladesh Air Force crashed into the Milestone School and College in Dhaka, killing over 20 students and injuring hundreds. The incident, attributed to a technical glitch, has amplified domestic concerns over the reliability of Chinese-origin military hardware.
What is the strategic concern beyond the cost of the JF-17 deal?
Analysts warn that procuring the JF-17 ties Bangladesh's defence ecosystem — spares, training, upgrades — to a Sino-Pakistani supply chain for decades. The Australian Institute of International Affairs report argues this represents a long-term alignment that could limit Dhaka's strategic flexibility amid its 'friendship towards all' doctrine.
When is the deal expected to be finalised?
The deal is expected to gain momentum during Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's first foreign visit to China in June. A JF-17 Block III simulator was already delivered to Dhaka in May 2026 as a precursor to the procurement.
