No case filed over cargo village fire at Shahjalal airport, investigation continues

Several employees of the DHL courier service are questioned as part of the probe

No case has been filed over the fire at the cargo village of Shahjalal International Airport as of Saturday night.

Airport authorities said they are investigating the incident and have questioned several employees of DHL Courier Service as part of the probe.

However, DHL authorities denied that any of their staff had been detained, saying all employees are “safe”.

Fire Service personnel received reports of the blaze at 11:24pm on Friday at Gate No. 9 of the cargo village.

The fire reportedly originated in a container in the area where courier services operate.

A similar fire had broken out in the same section in October last year.

An airport official said the fire in October had started from a DHL cargo cage, while this time it originated from one of their containers.

Several DHL staff were questioned on Saturday in connection with the incident.

DHL Bangladesh’s Head of Marketing and Communications Noor Yazdani told bdnews24.com that the matter is under investigation and the company is fully cooperating with the authorities.

He added that the extent of losses was still being assessed and no complete picture was yet available.

Entry to the cargo village is restricted and requires special access cards, with only authorised personnel allowed inside.

Despite the incident occurring eight months after the October fire, no case or GD had been filed until Saturday night.

Airport Police chief Kamrul Hasan Talukder said, “No one has come to us, and no case has been filed. However, we are monitoring the situation.”

Airport Executive Director SM Ragib Samad said an investigation is under way to determine the cause of the fire, including whether it was accidental or deliberate.

Officials said a light pole was located near the spot, with exposed wires found underneath it. However, they said there was no conclusive evidence of a short circuit.

Cigarette butts were also found near the site, raising questions about possible smoking in a restricted area, which officials said is also being investigated.