Al Mamun Harun Ur Rashid :
A massive fire broke out at the cargo section of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in Dhaka on Saturday afternoon, bringing flight operations to a temporary halt and leading to huge loss.
The blaze started around 2:30 pm in the imported cargo complex near Gate 8, also known as the Hangar Gate, where goods including chemicals, fabrics, and other materials were stored.
Thick smoke was seen billowing from the cargo village, drawing crowds of onlookers, who were urged by airport authorities to move away for safety.
At least 36 units of the Fire Service engaged actively in controlling the blaze.
Alongside them, the Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh Navy, two fire units of the Bangladesh Air Force, and two platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) joined the firefighting effort.
However, the blaze was fully brought under control and flight operations were resumed from 9:00 pm, as a flight of Fly Dubai arrived at the airport at 9:06 pm, according to the civil aviation and tourism ministry.
Meanwhile, a 7- member inquiry committee led by the Chief, Flight Safety, has been formed to investigate the fire incident that took place on Saturday afternoon at the Cargo Section of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.
The committee members are – representative of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism; General Manager, Corporate Safety and Quality; Chief Engineer, Quality Assurance; Deputy General Manager, Security; Deputy General Manager, Cargo-Export; and Deputy Manager, Insurance.
The committee has been asked to submit its report within 5 working days.
While the full extent of losses from the devastating fire at the air cargo complex of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport is still being assessed, traders fear the incident could deal a blow of more than $1 billion to the country’s import and export operations.
Kabir Ahmed Khan, president of the International Air Express Association of Bangladesh, told reporters, “It’s still too early to put a figure on the direct damages, but the combined direct and indirect impact on trade could surpass $1 billion.”
Echoing similar concerns, Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, executive president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), said, “We are worried that export losses alone might exceed $1 billion.”
According to Talha Bin Zasim, an officer at the Fire Service Media Cell, the fire spread across the entire imported cargo complex, and authorities were struggling to contain it.
During the frantic efforts, several fire service personnel sustained injuries while battling the flames and had been sent to hospitals for treatment.
“At least 17 Ansars were injured while taming the fire. Nine has been admitted into CMH while rest of them was admitted into Kurmitola General Hospital,” Public Relations Officer of Ansar and VDP Md Ashiquzzaman told the media.
The fire caused severe disruption to air traffic. At least nine flights originally scheduled to land at Dhaka were diverted to Chattogram’s Shah Amanat International Airport and Sylhet’s Osmani International Airport.
Of these, eight flights landed in Chattogram, including two domestic flights from Chattogram to Dhaka, one flight from Bangkok, one from the Middle East, and four other international flights, while a flight from Riyadh landed in Sylhet at 3:31 pm with 396 passengers.
Several other international flights, including those bound for Kuala Lumpur and Mumbai, remained on the taxiway, while flights from Delhi and Sharjah were diverted to Kolkata and Chattogram respectively.
A Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong was reportedly circling in the air, unable to land.
Domestic flights were also affected, with one flight from Syedpur diverted to Chattogram and a US-Bangla flight returning to Chattogram after takeoff.
Airport authorities confirmed that the fire started near the northern side of Gate 3 in the imported cargo complex. According to the Bangladesh Freight Forwarders Association indicated that the area storing international courier goods has been severely damaged.
The association stressed that all cargo consignments are insured, and compensation will be provided, although the total damage is still being assessed.
Airport officials have ensured that all parked aircraft were safely moved away from the fire to prevent further damage.
The fire initially broke out around 2:30 pm, prompting immediate action by the airport fire section, Bangladesh Air Force fire units, and other agencies.
By 5:00 pm, authorities confirmed that the fire was partially under control, although flames were still visible on the second floor of the northern section of the cargo village.
The Executive Director of HSIA, Md. Masudul Hasan Masud, and other officials confirmed that the fire occurred in the imported cargo section, with all firefighting teams working collectively to bring the situation under control.
To beat the blaze, Fire Service used remote control firefighting robot to extinguish the fire, said Fire Service official Talha Bin Jasim.
Authorities said that flight operations will resume only after the fire is fully extinguished, with passenger safety remaining the top priority.
An aircraft engineer at HSIA noted that the fire gradually spread over time, consuming the post office area within the cargo complex.
Passengers and airlines were advised to follow official instructions as the situation continues to develop.
Meanwhile, soon after the fire, the movement of the passengers and vehicles were strictly controlled.
Only the passengers were allowed to get entry into the airport while others who came with the passengers were barred for high security ground.
The on-duty APBn and Ansars said they were instructed to allow only the passengers to enter the airport at the critical moment.
On the other hand, many passengers were anxious about the take-off of their flights on Saturday night as they airport authorities could not immediately tell any update.
Some passengers said that their respective airlines asked them to reach the airport but they could not give any specific time when the flights would resume.
However, the authorities of the airport said that the airfield would remain closed until 9:00pm on Saturday.
Due to the fire incident, the traffic movement of the adjacent roads was hampered and the commuters suffered for huge traffic gridlock for long hours.
