Bangladesh: Massive fire at Dhaka airport halts all flight operations

Dhaka, Oct 18 (IANS) A massive fire erupted at the cargo section of Bangladesh’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Saturday afternoon, halting all flight operations and prompting an extensive emergency response, local media reported.

According to Talha Bin Zasim, an officer at the Fire Service and Civil Defence Media Cell, the fire broke out at the cargo village of gate No. 8 of the airport on Saturday afternoon, with 36 firefighting units currently working to bring the blaze under control.

“All our aircraft are confirmed safe. Further updates will be provided as the situation develops,” Bangladesh’s leading newspaper, 'The Daily Star' quoted a spokesperson for the airport as saying.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media division of the Bangladesh Armed Forces, the Bangladesh Civil Aviation, along with the Bangladesh Fire Service, Bangladesh Navy, and two fire units of the Bangladesh Air Force are working in the cargo section of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to douse the fire.

Reportedly, two Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) platoons have also joined the rescue efforts.

Citing sources at Dhaka airport, Daily Star reported that at least five flights scheduled to land at Dhaka have been diverted to Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram and Osmani International Airport in Sylhet.

Speaking to leading Bangladeshi daily The Business Standard, Nasir Uddin, director of the Bangladesh Freight Forwarders Association, said, "We are now trying to assess the extent of cargo damage. So far, we have learned that the area where international courier service goods were stored has been severely damaged. There was also a chemical warehouse in that area, and we have heard that it has also caught fire.”

This latest incident follows major blazes in Dhaka and the port city of Chattogram, prompting experts to raise serious concerns over Bangladesh’s safety standards and emergency preparedness.

Earlier this week, at least 16 people were killed and several others injured after a fire erupted at a building housing a chemical godown and a garment factory in the Shialbari area of Mirpur in Dhaka, local media reported.

Meanwhile, a fire at a factory in Chattogram’s Export Processing Zone (CEPZ) on Thursday took 17 hours and required 25 firefighting units before it was brought under control.

--IANS

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