The October fire at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s cargo terminal was caused by an electrical short circuit, according to the investigation report submitted to the Chief Adviser on Tuesday, ruling out earlier suspicions of sabotage.
At a briefing at the Foreign Service Academy, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said the inquiry found that 48 small iron-cage offices had been set up inside the courier shed for various agencies.
The offices lacked basic fire safety measures, including fire alarms, smoke detectors, sprinklers, or hydrants.
The report also noted that flammable materials, including cloth rolls wrapped in polythene, chemicals, compressed perfume bottles, body sprays, electronics, batteries, and pharmaceutical raw materials, were stacked haphazardly, with no adherence to safety regulations.
Drawing on the oral and written testimonies of 97 witnesses, investigators determined the fire originated in the northwest corner of the extended courier shed, spreading through the space between several courier cages.
The findings were confirmed by a team of Turkish experts, BUET specialists, fire safety professionals, and CID forensic investigators, establishing that the blaze was accidental and not deliberate.
The major fire engulfed the imported cargo complex at airport on the afternoon of October 18, burning for nearly 17 hours and destroying a significant portion of the stored imported goods.
Authorities said the blaze caused extensive damage to the facility and disrupted operations at the airport’s cargo terminal. Firefighters worked relentlessly to bring the fire under control, but much of the merchandise was completely lost.
