Zakir Hossain from Dhaka
Goods worth nearly $1 billion may have been damaged in the devastating fire that engulfed the import cargo complex of Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) on Saturday, according to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
The blaze, which broke out around 2:15pm on Saturday at the Cargo Village, was fully doused after 27 hours by 37 firefighting units, aided by the army, navy, air force, and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). “This could cause losses approaching one billion dollars,” said Inamul Haq Khan, senior vice-president of BGMEA, after inspecting the site. He clarified that the export section remained unaffected, while the import storage area, containing garment samples, was “severely damaged.”
Commerce and Civil Aviation Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin said the government is investigating “every aspect of the fire, including possible culpability.” He told reporters, “Within 30 seconds of the fire being reported, our own firefighting team was deployed… A total of 37 units eventually joined the effort.”
He confirmed that 21 flights were diverted or cancelled, and that the government had waived all fees for non-scheduled flights over the next three days. Food and accommodation were arranged for stranded passengers, he added.
Cargo operations resumed Sunday night, with NBR and BGMEA ensuring smooth logistics. “Our sincerity and effort were never lacking,” Bashir said, apologising for the inconvenience.
Authorities said 36 firefighting units fought the blaze that originated near gate no. 8, with help from the Air Force, Navy, and BGB. Flights were suspended until 9 pm, forcing multiple diversions to Chattogram, Sylhet, and Kolkata.
The incident follows six major fires in a week across Bangladesh— including at Mirpur, Chattogram EPZ, Incepta Pharmaceuticals (Dhamrai), Cox’s Bazar International University, and Fresh Company (Narayanganj)— sparking panic and rumours on social media.
Both BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman demanded a “proper investigation” into the HSIA fire. The Chief Adviser’s Office warned of “necessary steps if sabotage is found.”