Dhaka Airport still reeling after massive Cargo Fire; flights back on track Azad News HD

 

HSIA and its Cargo Village

The Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, located in Kurmitola, Dhaka, is the largest international airport in Bangladesh. It serves as a major hub for both passenger and cargo traffic, and the “cargo village” or import‑cargo complex is a significant logistics centre within the airport perimeter. Goods arriving into the country, including imported raw materials, electronics, garments, chemicals and courier consignments, are stored here awaiting customs clearance and onward transport.

Because of this heavy throughput and mixed storage of potentially hazardous materials (chemicals, fabrics, courier goods, electronics), the cargo village poses particular fire‑risk and safety‑management challenges. As one expert told The Daily Star, the area “where chemicals were kept… godowns packed with imported mobile phones and electronics” is especially vulnerable The fact that different materials – textiles, chemicals, electronics, courier goods – were stored together raised concerns about standard fire‑safety protocol.

Thus, HSIA’s cargo village stands as a crucial but complex area: vital for national imports, yet inherently high risk due to storage mix, volumes of goods, and operational density.

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The Fire Incident: What Happened & When

Initial Report & Timing

On Saturday, 18 October 2025, the blaze began in the cargo village of the airport. Reports indicate that the first alert came around 2:15 pm to 2:30 pm (local time).  The fire appears to have originated near Gate No. 8 of the import‑cargo complex. 

Witnesses noted thick black smoke billowing high above the airport grounds, visible from surrounding areas, signalling a fast‑growing fir

Spread & Challenges

Within the first hour or so, the fire had spread from the origin point (near Gate 8) into adjacent warehouses and storage godowns. Per The Daily Star:

“The fire broke out near gate no‑8 of the import cargo complex and quickly engulfed warehouses packed with imported chemicals, electronics, pharmaceuticals and garments.” 

The mixture of materials, open‑space oxygen supply, strong winds, and the presence of “dangerous goods” (chemicals) made controlling the blaze especially difficult. According to the Fire Service and Civil Defence Director General, Brig Gen Md Zahid Kamal:

“It’s an open area, so there was a constant supply of oxygen that kept fuelling the fire. That’s why smoke was visible from a great distance — it appeared larger than it actually was.” 

Wind conditions further exacerbated firefighting. The fire‑service noted that strong gusts helped spread the flame across the open‑storage yard and into adjoining structures. 

Emergency Deployment & Suspension of Flights

Firefighting units were called out immediately. By around mid‑afternoon, a significant mobilization was under way:

• Nine fire units were initially dispatched within minutes of the alert.

• The number quickly rose to 28 units according to one report. 

• Other sources indicate 35–37 units were eventually engaged, including teams from the airport fire section, Bangladesh Air Force fire units, Bangladesh Navy, the Army, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Ansar, police and other agencies. 

As the blaze spread and the thick smoke engulfed the airport’s cargo zone, authorities responded with an operational suspension:

• Flight operations (both arrivals and departures) at HSIA were temporarily suspended. Some flights were diverted to other airports such as Chattogram’s Shah Amanat International Airport and Sylhet’s Osmani International Airport

• One report said the suspension lasted about six hours, restarting around 9 pm. 

• Another reported the runway closure lasted about seven hou

Containment & Resumption

By around 9:18 pm local time, firefighting officials declared the blaze “brought under control,” though smoke was still emerging from parts of the complex.  Flight operations resumed shortly afterwards — a Fly Dubai flight from Dubai reportedly landed at 9:06 pm when operations restarted. 

While the immediate threat was contained, the fire had caused extensive damage to the cargo village infrastructure, goods stored therein, and the airport’s operations.

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Damage, Losses & Operational Impact

Cargo Damage

The fire gutted key storage areas of the cargo village. According to The Daily Star, the facility stored:

“cargo complex… where chemicals were kept… godowns packed with imported mobile phones and electronics… garment items, industrial raw materials, pharmaceutical ingredients, essential vaccines and electronic equipment.” 

One agent said:

“We suspect the fire originated in the chemical section.” 

Another noted the damage:

“Nothing is left. The losses are beyond calculation.” — director of an import company. 

While full estimates are not yet available, early indications point to damage in the hundreds of crores of taka. One headline estimated damage “over Tk 1,000 crore” (roughly US$100 million+

Flight & Airport Operations

The interruption of flights had immediate consequences:

• Several international flights approaching Dhaka were diverted; for example, four flights were diverted to Kolkata. 

• Domestic and international operations were put on hold for hours, creating logistical chaos for passengers and freight.

• The suspension and subsequent backlog likely caused knock‑on delays, aircraft standstill costs, crew rescheduling, and additional operational burden.

• The cargo throughput for the day would have been disrupted, affecting importers and exporters alike.

Economic & Supply‑Chain Impact

Given that HSIA’s cargo village is a major logistics hub for imported goods, the fire’s wider economic consequences may be significant:

• Suppliers, importers and manufacturers relying on these cargo flows will face delays and losses as consignments are destroyed or held up.

• Insurance claims for lost goods will rise; one freight‑forwarders association member noted that “every cargo consignment is insured… but it’s still too early to estimate the amount of damage.” 

• The industrial ecosystem — especially garments, electronics, pharmaceuticals — may see supply lags. For example, one CNF agent warned of “significant economic blow.” 

• For Bangladesh’s export/import economy, disruptions at the primary airport translate into cascading supply‑chain risks.

Safety & Personnel

Reports indicate at least 25 to 30 firefighters, Ansar members, and airport staff were injured battling the blaze. That the fire took hours to control also raises questions about readiness, equipment adequacy, access routes, and storage safety protocols.

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Causes, Risk Factors & Investigative Response

Potential Causes & Risk Amplifiers

While a definitive cause had not been publicly confirmed at time of reporting, several risk‑factors stand out:

• Storage of hazardous materials: The godown where the fire started reportedly held chemicals (“Dangerous Goods” section) adjacent to courier goods and electronics. 

• Open‑storage yard and wind: The fire‑service DG emphasised that the open area allowed constant oxygen supply, and winds made control difficult. 

• Mixed storage without clear compartmentalisation: Experts expressed concern that different kinds of goods (chemicals, fabrics, electronics) were stored together rather than segregated.

• Access & firefighting challenge: The fire lasting seven hours suggests that despite the airport’s fire‑section efforts, the scale of the blaze exceeded initial response capacity.

• Potential procedural gaps: One social‑media thread alleged delayed permission for fire‑brigade access; while unverified, it points to possible organisational issues. 

Investigative Steps & Official Response

In the aftermath:

• A probe committee was formed by the national carrier and aviation authorities to determine the cause and make recommendations. 

• The Ministry of Civil Aviation & Tourism announced that steps will be taken to identify the source of the fire and implement preventive measures. 

• Authorities emphasised that if sabotage or arson is found, a strong response will follow. 

These responses indicate awareness of both the immediate fire‑risk environment and the broader need for reform in cargo‑storage safety, emergency preparedness and operational resilience.

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Wider Implications

For HSIA and Cargo Infrastructure

The incident raises several long‑term questions:

• Does the airport’s cargo area have sufficiently robust fire‑suppression systems (sprinklers, compartmental doors, hazardous‑goods zoning, detection systems)? Telegraphically, experts said the protocols needed improvement. 

• Are storage practices aligned with international standards for high‑risk cargo (chemicals, electronics, fabrics)?

• How well are risk‑assessments done, and how are contingency plans calibrated for large‑scale fires?

• Given that flight operations were suspended, how can resilience be improved to minimise disruption to national logistics?

For National Logistics & Economy

The fire at the country’s main international airport carries systemic risk:

• The interconnectedness of cargo flows means a single incident can ripple through supply‑chains: imports delayed, exports backed up, manufacturing faces raw‑material shortages.

• Insurance costs may rise; importers may reconsider routing goods via other airports, increasing logistic costs for Bangladesh.

• From the international investor perspective, infrastructure reliability matters: repeated fires (garment‑factories, chemical‑warehouses, now airport cargo village) may blur perceptions of industrial risk‑management.

For Safety Culture & Regulatory Oversight

The incident highlights broader issues of safety culture:

• The likelihood that hazardous and non‑hazardous goods are stored without strict zoning suggests a weaker enforcement of safety norms.

• Regular safety audits, fire‑drills, training of staff, equipment readiness and internal monitoring may need upgrading.

• The airport authority, cargo‑handlers, logistics firms and regulatory agencies need to align on clear roles and responsibilities.

• As one Reddit commenter put it:

  “Once again, fire safety systems didn’t work… Total mis‑management.” 

For Aviation & Passenger Trust

While no large passenger casualties were reported, the disruption affects passenger trust:

• Flight delays, diversions, cancellation risk — all erode the reliability of airport services.

• In crisis communications, transparency matters: passengers affected by diversions/in‑flight changes expect timely updates.

• Repeated operational disruptions may lead airlines to discount routing via such hubs or demand stronger assurances for logistic cargo.

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What Needs to Be Done: Recommendations & Next Steps

Given the scale and implications of the incident, a multi‑layered action‑plan is essential:

Short‑Term

• Comprehensive damage assessment: Inventory destroyed goods, structural damage to cargo village buildings, evaluate integrity of storage racks and fire‐suppression infrastructure.

• Ensure safety for resumption: Before full cargo operations restart, inspect fire‑detection, alarm systems, sprinkler systems, clear escape routes, and ensure no residual hot‑spots.

• Support for affected consignments: Facilitate claims for importers whose goods were destroyed or delayed; coordinate with insurers and customs.

• Business‑continuity plan: Establish interim cargo-routing options to other airports or temporary storage facilities to mitigate backlog.

• Staff welfare & training: Provide health checkups for firefighters and staff injured, review their deployment protocols, and document lessons‑learned.

Medium‑Term

• Storage zoning & classification: Redesign cargo village to separate hazardous goods (chemicals, flammables) from textiles, electronics, courier consignments; implement strict compartmentalisation.

• Upgrade fire‑suppression infrastructure: Install/upgrade sprinklers, foam systems, fire‑walls, emergency exits, fire‑resistant materials, automated detection.

• Standard operating procedures (SOPs): Develop and rehearse SOPs for cargo‑fire emergencies, including evacuation, coordination among agencies (airport fire section, Air Force, Navy, local fire service).

• Review logistic flows: Re‑evaluate how goods arrive, are stored, handled; ensure maximum safe clearance times, minimise dwell time of high‑risk goods.

• Regulatory audit: The national aviation authority, customs, fire‑service and airport operator should conduct a joint audit of cargo‑village fire‑risk management, publish findings and set timelines for compliance.

Long‑Term

• Infrastructure reconstruction: Possibly rebuild parts of the cargo village in a fire‑resilient manner; consider new purpose‑built facilities with higher standards.

• Digital monitoring & analytics: Use IoT sensors for heat/flame detection, storage‑density monitoring, real‑time risk alerts to firefighting command centres.

• Continuous training & drills: Monthly drills involving all stakeholders (airport, airline, cargo‑handlers, fire & rescue services) to ensure readiness.

• National‑level policy for airport cargo safety: The incident could trigger a national standard for airport cargo fire‑protection, applicable across Bangladesh’s airports.

• Public transparency & stakeholder engagement: Regular public updates on inspection results, safety ratings, cargo‑facility certifications, to build trust among airlines, freight‑forwarders and passengers.

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Conclusion

The fire at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport cargo village is a stark reminder of the latent risks embedded in modern logistic hubs. A facility designed to handle massive volumes of diverse imported goods also carries fire and operational risk tied to storage practices, material types, infrastructural readiness, and emergency‑response coordination.