A massive fire broke out at the Cargo Village of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in Dhaka on Saturday afternoon, prompting temporary suspension of all flight operations as fire service and armed forces personnel joined forces to control the blaze.
According to Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters, the fire erupted around 2:15 PM in the import section of the Cargo Village. “Thirty six units are currently at work. “The cause of the fire and the extent of damage are yet to be determined. So far, no casualties have been reported,”.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed that units from Bangladesh Air Force, Navy, Fire Service and Civil Defence, and the Civil Aviation Authority were collaborating to extinguish the flames. Airport Executive Director Group Captain SM Ragib Samad described the situation as an emergency, urging public cooperation. “We are handling an emergency situation; please cooperate with us. Our airport fire service teams, along with Air Force and Civil Defence units, are working to control the fire. Accurate information will be provided in due time,” he said in an audio message to the media.
Airport authorities temporarily suspended all flight operations for safety reasons, confirming that the fire was confined to the Cargo Village area and had not spread to the passenger terminal. Several Dhaka-bound international flights were diverted to Chattogram and Kolkata, while a number of departing flights remained grounded on the taxiway awaiting clearance.
Among those diverted were--- US-Bangla Airlines’ Bangkok-Dhaka flight, which landed in Chattogram; IndiGo’s Delhi-Dhaka flight, which landed in Kolkata; Air Arabia’s Sharjah-Dhaka flight, diverted to Chattogram, and Cathay Pacific’s Hong Kong-Dhaka flight, which circled over Dhaka before diversion. Departing flights affected included Batik Air’s Dhaka–Kuala Lumpur flight (OD-163) and IndiGo’s Dhaka–Mumbai flight (6E-1116), both held on the taxiway.
Domestic routes were also disrupted. A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight from Saidpur was redirected to Chattogram, while a US-Bangla Airlines flight from Chattogram to Dhaka was forced to return mid-air due to the suspension.
As flames intensified, aircraft parked in nearby hangars were moved to safer locations, airport sources said. Fire Service officials stated that the source of the fire remains under investigation, and the entire area has been cordoned off. Authorities assured that passenger safety remains the top priority, and normal flight operations will resume once the fire is fully contained and safety inspections are completed
PT/ra
