, Sept. 1 -- Ruling out any pressure from the US side over the purchase of additional Boeing aircraft, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir on Tuesday said the approach is demand-driven and that Bangladesh needs to expand its aircraft fleet to open new routes, improve passenger services and strengthen its position as an aviation gateway in Asia.

"No, not under any pressure but as per the demand of the aviation sector. We will buy additional aircraft according to our needs," he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when a journalist drew his attention to the purchase of additional Boeing aircraft from the United States.

US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia and Ambassador to India Sergio Gor has recently sai...