Authorities Contain Blaze With Multi-Agency Effort, Investigations Underway
Flight operations at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka have resumed after being suspended for six hours due to a major fire that broke out in the airport’s cargo section on Saturday. According to airport officials, the first flight successfully departed at 9:06 PM, marking the resumption of both domestic and international air traffic.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism confirmed in a statement that the fire had been completely brought under control. “Steps will be taken to identify the source of the fire and implement measures to prevent such incidents in the future,” the ministry assured.
The blaze prompted a massive emergency response, with at least 37 firefighting units deployed to the site. Bangladesh’s armed forces, including personnel from the army, navy, and air force, also joined efforts to extinguish the flames. While no casualties were immediately reported, significant disruption occurred across the airport’s operations.
Flights Diverted, Cargo Impact Feared in the Billions
Several inbound flights had to be redirected as a result of the fire. An IndiGo flight from Delhi to Dhaka was diverted to Kolkata, while an Air Arabia flight from Sharjah was rerouted to Chittagong, located approximately 250 kilometers southeast of the capital. Both domestic and international schedules faced widespread delays and cancellations during the shutdown.
Kabir Ahmed, president of the International Air Express Association of Bangladesh, said it was too soon to estimate the precise financial damage but warned the total impact on the country’s vital import and export sector could exceed $1 billion. The cargo section, where the fire originated, plays a critical role in facilitating trade logistics for Bangladesh’s economy.
Pattern of Fires Raises Security Concerns Across Bangladesh
Saturday’s airport fire is the third major blaze in Bangladesh in the past week. Earlier, on Tuesday, at least 16 people died when a fire tore through a garment factory and nearby chemical warehouse in Dhaka. Two days later, a seven-storey garment factory in a Chittagong export processing zone was destroyed by another large-scale fire.
In response to the growing number of incidents, the interim government has launched comprehensive investigations into all recent fires. Officials warned that any findings of sabotage or deliberate arson would trigger a “swift and decisive response.” The government stressed that no criminal act or provocation would be allowed to destabilize national security or disrupt public life and political stability.
As investigations begin and normal airport operations resume, the focus will now shift to identifying the causes behind these dangerous incidents and improving fire safety infrastructure in critical national facilities.
