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Published : 20 Oct 2025, 12:30 AM
Shahjalal International Airport authorities have dismissed the swirling rumours that Fire Service units were late to respond to a massive blaze that erupted at the Cargo Village on Saturday.
On Sunday, Group Captain SM Ragib Samad, the airport’s executive director, also rejected claims that the airport’s own fire unit was barred from entering the affected area.
He said the reports spreading online were “misleading”.
“After the fire broke out, a rumour spread that a parking supervisor stopped Fire Service vehicles from entering the area. This is incorrect,” he said.
According to a Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism statement, the fire started at 2:15pm at the airport’s cargo village.
Recalling the sequence of events, Ragib said: “The control tower first informed me about the incident. I asked ‘Have the fire vehicles moved?’ They said yes. I then asked if the Fire Service had been notified -- they said no, so I told them to call immediately.
“While they were alerting through their channel, I called the Fire Service director myself and said, ‘Send your nearest vehicles immediately, there’s a fire here’.”
He said airport fire units reached the scene almost immediately.
“Our vehicles went in, and no one obstructed them. Nor were any Fire Service vehicles stopped from entering.”
The executive director said he received the first call around 2:16–2:17pm and informed the Fire Service by 2:20–2:22pm.
“The first vehicle from the Air Force’s Base Bhashar arrived first, followed by the first Fire Service unit from Uttara Station,” he said.
The Fire Service reported that it received the alert at 2:30pm and reached the site at 2:50pm. Uttara Station is about 2km away from the airport.
Workers said the blaze began in the section of the import cargo complex used for courier operations.
Another rumour claimed that some courier staff had prevented the airport fire unit from entering the warehouse area. Ragib rejected that, saying the office was closed at the time because it was a holiday.
“The fire broke out in a section managed by the International Air Express Association of Bangladesh (IAEAB). Their fire system is self-managed. When the fire began, no staff from the association were seen nearby.”
He added that, surprisingly, no one from that office has yet contacted airport authorities, even a full day after the incident.
“Everyone else -- various agencies and inspectors -- have been in touch, but not them,” he said.
According to Lt Col Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury, a Fire Service director, the blaze was completely extinguished by 4:55pm on Sunday, after 27 hours.
“Thirty-seven units worked tirelessly,” he told a press briefing. “We contained the fire at 9:18pm Saturday, and declared it fully extinguished at 4:55pm Sunday.”
Fire officials said the flames persisted for hours because the area contained steel structures that retained heat, while strong airflow kept supplying oxygen.
Ragib explained that the airport’s own fire department primarily covers the terminal buildings, not the external offices.
“Each office outside the terminal maintains its own firefighting setup. We provide them regular refresher training -- how to use extinguishers in emergencies,” he said.
He added that each office is responsible for its own fire safety compliance.
“Checking and maintaining that balance for all private offices is not always possible for us. It’s their responsibility to ensure preparedness,” he said.
The import cargo area is equipped with 132 fire extinguishers, and training on their use was last conducted in June, he said, adding that all records were properly logged.
As for the cause of the fire, Ragib said several committees were investigating and would analyse it in detail.
“The control tower informed me the fire started near Gate 8, around a courier service office. It could have been due to several reasons,” he said.
Since it was a holiday and no staff were present, he suggested possibilities like an electrical short circuit.
“If people had been there, human error might have been possible. But most likely it was an electrical issue,” he added.
Flight operations were suspended for several hours after the fire began near Gate No. 8 of the cargo complex, resuming around 9pm Saturday.
A total of 37 Fire Service units, joined by personnel from the Air Force, Navy, Army, RAB, police, APBn, and Ansar, took part in the firefighting.
Separate investigation committees have been formed by the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, and the Internal Resources Division of the finance ministry.
A BGMEA delegation visited the site on Sunday afternoon and said that garment raw materials, ready-made clothes, and samples were among the goods destroyed, though they could not yet provide an estimate of total losses.
