massive-fire-halts-flights-at-dhaka-international-airport

A massive fire broke out on Saturday at the cargo complex of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the Bangladeshi capital, forcing authorities to suspend all flight operations as thick black smoke engulfed the area.

 

The blaze erupted in the afternoon, prompting an immediate response from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) and the Fire Service. Over two dozen firefighting units were deployed, with additional teams rushing to the scene as the situation escalated. The Bangladesh Air Force’s fire units also joined the operation.

 

In total, thirty-six firefighting teams were engaged in efforts to douse the flames, which spread rapidly through the cargo zone. The presence of chemicals stored in the area posed a major challenge to containment efforts.

 

All flight landings and take-offs were halted as a precautionary measure. Authorities confirmed that all aircraft parked at the airport were safe. At least nine inbound flights scheduled to land in Dhaka were diverted, eight to Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram and one to Osmani International Airport in Sylhet.

 

Also read: Bangladesh Air Force Jet crashes into school in Dhaka

 

Personnel from the Bangladesh Army, Navy, Air Force, and Border Guard Bangladesh joined the firefighting and rescue operations, coordinating efforts to secure the site. Eyewitnesses reported that dense smoke covered a large part of the airport and its surroundings, disrupting visibility and spreading panic among airport workers and passengers.

 

There were no immediate reports of casualties. Officials said the cause of the fire remains under investigation, and operations will resume once safety assessments are completed.

 

This marks the third major fire in Bangladesh in just five days. On Thursday, a massive blaze destroyed an eight-storey factory building at the Chittagong Export Processing Zone, though no casualties were reported. Earlier, on Tuesday, sixteen workers were killed and several others injured when a fire broke out at a four-storey garment factory and a chemical warehouse in Dhaka.

 

The repeated incidents have raised concern over industrial and infrastructural safety measures across the country.