New Age is no expert of fighter planes. So are we in this forum. However, wiki is not bashing the BGI. Rather it says it is the best of all the F-7 variant:
7BGI: The Most Upgraded version of chengdu F-7 for Bangladesh Air Force, 3.5 generation & Beyond-visual-range missile, PGM capable. F-7BGI is the best & most capable F-7 ever produced.
Wiki says it is BVR capable, but New Age does not say so. It says of a jamming system of enemy BVR radars. As far as I know, BGI is BVR capable with 40 to 50 km range. Some people say, this range is most suitable for an attack. BGI speed is 2.0 mach and its climbing rate is 195m/sec. BGI has seven hard points instead of regular five hard points in all other variants.
I trust the common sense and ability of our airforce officers. They certainly did not get swayed by the Jamaati members in the PDF who wanted BAF to buy F-17 at any cost whose speed is only 1.6 mach. Jamaatis here regularly bash BGI only because the BAF has the audacity not to buy JF-17 a lower class plane than BGI. BGI (F-7) is a proven platform, but Thunder is not.