The government has announced a waiver of all airport-related charges for non-scheduled flights over the next three days, following the devastating fire that swept through Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s (HSIA) Cargo Village on Saturday afternoon.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin confirmed the decision on Sunday, saying the government is prioritizing passenger welfare and rapid recovery of normal airport operations.
“Our airport’s own firefighting team reached the scene within 30 seconds, as informed by the CAAB Chairman,” Bashir said after visiting the fire-ravaged site. “The situation was handled swiftly and in coordination with all agencies.”
He dismissed allegations of delay by the Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) in entering the airport premises but said any claims of negligence would be reviewed during the official investigation.
According to the adviser, 21 flights were either diverted or cancelled after the fire erupted at around 2:15 pm on Saturday in the import section of the Cargo Village. Thanks to the efforts of 36 FSCD units, the blaze was fully extinguished by 8:30 pm.
The government convened an inter-ministerial meeting on Sunday afternoon to assess the extent of damage, compensation measures, and restoration plans. A comprehensive evaluation is now underway to determine the financial losses, weight of damaged goods, and the impact on different sectors.
“We promised to reopen the airport by 9:00 pm on Saturday — and we succeeded,” Bashir said. “I sincerely apologize to all passengers for the inconvenience. We are working tirelessly to ensure full stability.”
He also announced that the government will cover meals, accommodation, and essential services for affected passengers, and that cargo clearance is being prioritized under a 36-hour target. Compensation claims will be processed under the existing insurance framework.
BGMEA: ‘Massive Blow’ to Export Sector
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) expressed deep concern over the incident, saying the fire caused extensive losses to export-ready apparel, raw materials, and critical product samples.
“This has dealt a serious blow to Bangladesh’s export trade, especially the readymade garment (RMG) industry,” said BGMEA Senior Vice-President Inamul Haque Khan, who visited the site on Sunday. “High-value consignments and samples have been burned to ashes, which is a major setback for ongoing and future business negotiations.”
He noted that the loss of product samples would hinder efforts to attract new buyers and expand export markets. BGMEA has already issued circulars to its member factories to submit detailed loss inventories via a newly launched online data collection portal.
Almost all BGMEA factories rely on air freight to meet tight shipment deadlines — typically 200 to 250 factories send goods by air each day. “Given that volume, the impact is significant,” Inamul said. “It could take 15 days to a month to restore full operations.”
BGMEA Director Faisal Samad said the association held an on-site coordination meeting with Adviser Bashir and agreed to form a joint working committee with Customs to expedite cargo clearance and avoid congestion.
The BGMEA leadership is also coordinating with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, Customs authorities, and airport officials to ensure smooth recovery and the continued flow of export shipments.
Fire Contained After Six Hours
The massive blaze forced a six-hour suspension of flight operations at HSIA. Teams from the Bangladesh Air Force, Navy, Fire Service and Civil Defence, and Civil Aviation Authority jointly fought the fire under the coordination of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) directorate.
Airport officials said the flames spread rapidly through the import area, where apparel goods, machinery, and other imported consignments were stored. Thick plumes of smoke disrupted air traffic and forced several aircraft to divert.
More than 36 firefighting units battled the fire at its peak, while aircraft parked near the cargo apron were moved to safer locations as a precaution.
Authorities have since confirmed that operations have resumed, though full restoration of cargo services may take several days.
“Our priority is to ensure safety, transparency, and a smooth return to normal operations,” Adviser Bashir emphasized. “This incident will serve as a critical lesson in strengthening our future emergency preparedness.”
