Bangladesh's Importers and hundreds of clearing and forwarding (C&F) agents converged on the Dhaka airport cargo zone, seeking answers a day after a devastating fire gutted a cargo village.
Behind this, the Massive fire that guts Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport cargo complex, has caused widespread supply chain disruption and significant financial losses. Authorities have initiated an urgent investigation into the blaze which halted flight operations on 18 October.
Bangladesh's Commerce and Civil Aviation Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin has assured that the government is looking into all the aspects of the fire that destroyed the cargo complex, including any possible culpability.
However, the adviser stressed that the airport is a key point installation with its own fire control system.
"Within 30 seconds of the fire being reported, our own firefighting team was deployed," he said. A total of 37 units eventually joined the effort, with WASA water brought in to contain the blaze.
Responding to complaints from clearing and forwarding agents that the Fire Service was late or ineffective, he said every allegation would be taken seriously.
The adviser confirmed that around 21 flights were diverted or cancelled during the disruption. To ease passenger suffering, the government has waived all fees and charges for non-scheduled or extra flights over the next three days.
Bashir Uddin said food, accommodation, and other services were arranged for stranded passengers, though some backlogs may remain.
Cargo operations resumed last night, with the National Board of Revenue and Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association pledging full cooperation to ensure uninterrupted supply.
The extent of the losses from the fire is yet to be assessed, but it may reach nearly $1 billion, said Inamul Haq Khan, senior vice-president of the BGMEA, speaking in front of the fire-ravaged cargo village area at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.
The fire which came under control after 7 hours, severely damaged the import storage area, mainly used for keeping samples of clothing items.
Garment exporters are the main users of the cargo village, shipping more than 600 tonnes of dry cargo on a regular day. The volume can rise to as high as 1,200 tonnes per day during the peak season from October to December, exporters said.
Khan said the government has instructed the airport authorities to keep the cargo village operational round the clock, including on weekends (Friday and Saturday), to facilitate export and import activities.
As per Bangladesh’s Trade Adviser Sheikh Bashiruddin, the government will cover the costs of flights disrupted for two days following the cargo village fire at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
With the air cargo complex handling essential goods for the nation's vital ready-made garment industry, which exports nearly $40 billion annually, the incident threatens to severely disrupt supply chains and undermine the confidence of international buyers.
