Opinion || From Russia’s MiG-29 to China’s J-10: A Story of Capability, Falsehoods, and Deception

Rakib Ahmed

The most modern fighter jet in the current Bangladeshi air force fleet is the MiG-29. This fighter jet is both a very memorable chapter in the history of the Bangladesh Air Force and a long and sad story. Let’s take a look back at the history surrounding this aircraft.

After Sheikh Hasina’s government came to power in 1996, an agreement was signed with Russia to purchase eight fighter jets in 1999. One of the most talked-about fighter jets at the time was the MiG-29. It was the relatively cheapest option in terms of both price and quality.

But soon after this aircraft deal, some countries became upset. A small country like Bangladesh, with a single-party government returning to power after 21 years, dared to buy fighter jets from Russia while showing the world the thumbs up!

Well, domestic brokers were immediately activated. First, the opposition party in parliament started a debate over the purchase of the aircraft. They claimed that the aircraft was being purchased without proper approval from parliament.

When the issue could not be stopped despite arguments in Parliament, a writ was filed in the High Court to stop the purchase of this aircraft. Overcoming all obstacles, the first batch of MiG-29 fighter jets were purchased for just $114 million.

At that time, the approximate cost of other fighter jets compared to the MiG-29 was—

• MiG-29: Around $14-20 million
• F-16C/D: Approximately $24-25 million
• Mirage 2000: Approximately $29-30 million
• Gripen: about $35 million
• Su-27: About $35 million
• Su-30: Around $37-40 million
• F/A-18: Approximately $42-50 million
• Rafale: Around $58 million
• F-15E: About $75 million

Later, around March-April 2000, Russia supplied MiG-29 aircraft to Bangladesh.

Then, based on the positive review of the Air Force, 16 new aircraft were ordered from Russia. But in the meantime, the Awami League government was defeated in the 2001 elections. The BNP-Jamaat alliance government came to power.

A case was filed against Sheikh Hasina as soon as she came to power, alleging that the country had suffered a loss of Tk 7 billion by purchasing MiG-29 fighter jets. However, evidence was never provided as to how that loss occurred.

Their argument was that a poor country like Bangladesh had no need to spend 7 billion taka to buy fighter jets.

Russia then supplied these planes to Bangladesh in installments. The BNP government stopped paying the installments to Russia when it came to power. Later, Russia filed a case in the International Court of Justice in 2003.

The late Barrister Rafiqul Islam Sir went to fight that case on behalf of Bangladesh. The same argument was presented there too—the Awami League government had caused a loss of 7 billion taka to Bangladesh by buying Russian aircraft.

Even a renowned lawyer like him could not present any other argument beyond this. Bangladesh later lost the case and was forced to pay the money owed to Russia.

As a punishment, Russia never sold any more fighter jets to Bangladesh. Even after the Awami League government returned to power, it did not dare to buy new fighter jets from Russia.

There was also a reason for not daring—the MiG-29 was one of the reasons why they were ousted in 2001.

But those who came to power after 2001 were also unable to purchase any fighter jets from Western countries. It was as if Bangladesh had been given an unwritten punishment—they themselves would not sell fighter jets to Bangladesh, nor would they allow it to acquire modern fighter jets from any other country.

After the cancellation of the MiG-29 deal, some fairly good fighter jets were later purchased from China under public pressure. But in the realities of modern warfare, those planes would not last even half an hour.

We still don’t know what consequences the Bangladesh Air Force and Sheikh Hasina’s government will face for buying a 7 billion taka fighter jet, and what consequences they will face for buying a 14 billion taka Chinese state-of-the-art aircraft.

I hope I don’t have to say anything more about the real character of those who are currently spreading rumors about China’s fighter jets. Where China’s purchase of the J-10C fighter jet will ultimately end up—God knows.