A third major fire in five days swept through Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Saturday, paralysing the country’s main international gateway for hours and destroying goods worth crores.
Sixteen people were killed and dozens injured in a fire at a chemical warehouse and a garment factory in the capital’s Mirpur area on Tuesday while another massive blaze engulfed a factory building in the Chattogram Export Processing Zone on Thursday.
The devastating blaze at the cargo village of the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport brought all flight operations to a halt for several hours, leaving hundreds of domestic and international passengers stranded.
As no aircraft could touch the runway for hours, many outbound and inbound passengers faced uncertainty and distress. Those due to depart from Dhaka were particularly affected, while their relatives waited anxiously.
Twenty-five members of Bangladesh Ansar were injured while fighting the blaze and controlling the crowd. Eight of them were admitted to the Combined Military Hospital in the capital.
At around 9pm, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said that the fire was brought under control and that the flight operations to and from the airport resumed at 9pm.
A seven-member committee has been formed to investigate the fire, said a news release.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Adviser Sheikh Bashiruddin visited the site to inspect the situation.
Airport Executive Director SM Ragib Samad said: “All relevant agencies are working together to handle the emergency and bring the situation under control.”
The fire, which broke out around 2:30pm, intensified rapidly. Between 5pm and 7pm, nine flights were diverted to Chattogram and Sylhet airports instead of landing in Dhaka. Several more flights followed.
Mohammad Ibrahim Khalil, spokesperson for Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram, said eight flights had been diverted there by 6pm — four domestic and four international. Among them were two US-Bangla Airlines flights and two operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, while the others belonged to Air Astra and Air Arabia.
As the fire in Dhaka remained uncontrolled, flight operations were suspended until 9pm. Of the diverted flights, one had originated from Bangkok, another from the Middle East, and four others were international services scheduled to land in Dhaka. Two more flights were diverted to Kolkata, officials later said.
Flights scheduled for departure at 4:05pm to Muscat, 4:30pm to Kathmandu, 4:40pm to Sharjah (Air Arabia), 5:00pm to Jeddah (US-Bangla), and 5:15pm and 6:00pm to Kolkata (Biman Bangladesh Airlines) were delayed. Emirates Airlines’ Dubai-bound flight at 7:30pm was cancelled.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines spokesperson Bushra Islam told TIMES of Bangladesh at 7:30pm, “All flight operations will remain suspended until the situation is under control. All incoming international flights to Dhaka have been instructed to land in Chattogram. Some flights have also landed in Sylhet.”
She added that there were fears that imported goods stored in the cargo section might have been completely destroyed in the blaze.
Earlier in the afternoon, Bushra said, “The airfield will remain closed until 6pm. Four more international flights bound for Dhaka are being diverted to Chattogram, with another six likely to follow.”
Passengers left stranded
Rodela Islam, 25, who was travelling to Cox’s Bazar with her parents and younger sister, said: “Because of the fire, our flight was cancelled, and we have to return home. The airline has not informed us about ticket refunds or rescheduling.”
Md Sakib Mahmud, who came from Madaripur to fly to Saudi Arabia, said his 7:15pm flight was cancelled. “I cannot reach anyone about my ticket. I don’t know whether to wait or go back home,” he said.
Another passenger, Shihab Shahriar, travelling to Singapore for work, said at 7:30pm, “My flight is after 10pm, but now I hear flights are suspended until 9pm. I’ll only know if mine will depart once I get inside — I’m very uncertain.”
Businessman Shafiqul Islam, travelling to Australia via Singapore Airlines, said his midnight flight had been delayed by three hours. “I saw how the Mirpur fire burned for hours because of stored chemicals. I’m hearing this fire also involves chemicals. It’s very frustrating, but I just hope I can finally leave on the 3am flight,” he said.
Heavy losses for traders
Eyewitnesses said the massive blaze at the cargo village burned for hours, destroying goods worth crores of taka. Members of the Fire Service and Civil Defence, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Air Force worked together to bring the fire under control, while Ansar and Border Guard Bangladesh personnel helped manage the crowd and secure the area.
Electronics businessman Mahbubul Hasan said his losses were estimated at over Tk14 crore, while Rabbi Hasan Babu, another electronics trader, said his damages amounted to Tk8–9 crore. Abu Saleh, a cosmetics businessman, said he lost goods worth over Tk4 crore.
The fire reportedly started in the north-eastern section of the cargo village, where imported goods from abroad were stored.
Talha Bin Jasim, an official at the Fire Service headquarters, said after sunset: “We received reports of the fire around 2:30pm. Thirty-seven units from 13 fire stations are working at the scene.”
Fire Service Director General Brigadier General Mohammad Zahid Kamal arrived at the site in the afternoon to assess the situation and issue instructions.
Officials of the Civil Aviation Authority said fire service units from Tongi, Gazipur, Ashulia and Savar joined the operation. Thick black smoke blanketed the sky, and panic spread across the airport area.
Why the fire was hard to control
Authorities said the fire spread quickly due to large quantities of fabrics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and mobile electronic parts stored in the area.
CAAB spokesperson Kawsar Mahmud said, “Immediately after the incident, the airport fire section, Bangladesh Air Force, Bangladesh Navy and other agencies reached the spot and began a joint operation to control the fire.”
The blaze broke out between the airport post office and hangar, where imported goods are typically stored. It engulfed the entire imported cargo complex near Gate 8 of the airport. Flames and thick plumes of black smoke were visible from several parts of the city.
What is the cargo village?
The airport’s cargo village is a specialised zone where all freight-related activities take place. It is separate from passenger terminals and equipped with facilities for receiving, storing and distributing goods transported by air.
It includes large warehouses for import and export cargo, offices for freight forwarders, customs, and ground-handling agents, as well as specialised storage areas — including temperature-controlled warehouses for perishable goods and secure facilities for hazardous materials.
The complex also houses mechanical equipment such as forklifts and cargo vehicles for loading and unloading, CCTV surveillance systems, customs inspection areas, and dedicated transport routes for trucks and vans. In short, the cargo village serves as the logistical and administrative hub for all air-freighted goods passing through the airport
