CAAB denies fire service entry delay claim
Staff Reporter:
Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), Air Vice Marshal Md Mostafa Mahmood Siddiq, has dismissed allegations that fire service units were delayed in entering the Cargo Village at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport due to a lack of permission from CAAB authorities.
Speaking at a press conference held at the CAAB headquarters in Kurmitola on Tuesday morning, the chairman said he personally investigated the claim and found it to be false.
“I have spoken with the Director General of the Fire Service, and no one has said that fire trucks were prevented from entering the area. If any authority makes such an allegation, I will take immediate action,” he stated.
The CAAB chief explained that the delay in reaching the scene was due to stacks of goods lying under the open sky in front of the Import Cargo Section, which obstructed the fire service’s movement.
“The allegation that the fire service could not enter because of permission issues is not true,” he said firmly.
Addressing another question, he clarified that while CAAB owns the building, the operations inside are jointly managed by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Customs, C&F agents, and courier companies.
“Goods stored in front of the cargo section apron are supposed to be cleared within 21 days. If not, these three authorities are responsible for the clearance. The delay in removing the piled-up cargo made it difficult for the fire service to move quickly,” he added.
The chairman also noted that CAAB has four firefighting vehicles, of which one is currently out of order.
“Any system may not always work at full capacity, but all three operational fire trucks were deployed on the day of the incident. The faulty vehicle is being repaired,” he said.
When asked whether the fire incident would affect Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s international safety standards, Siddiq responded that the event was unfortunate but not necessarily a setback.
“Incidents like this can happen anywhere. What matters is how we respond. Based on our corrective actions, ICAO might even rate us higher,” he explained.
He confirmed that CAAB regularly updates its fire safety and prevention systems.
“We maintain international standards and continuously improve our firefighting capabilities,” he said, adding that letters had already been issued to enhance the airport’s fire safety infrastructure following the incident.
