Flights have resumed at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport after a major fire at the Cargo Village was brought under control late Saturday night. The first flight from Dubai landed at 9:06 PM. At least seven people were injured, but no deaths were reported. A full investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the fire.
Flight operations have resumed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka after a massive fire at the airport’s Cargo Village was brought under control. The first flight, arriving from Dubai, landed at 9:06 PM on Saturday (October 18), marking the restoration of normal airport activities.
Earlier, at around 8:30 PM, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism issued a press statement confirming that the fire had been contained and all flight operations would resume from 9:00 PM.
According to the Fire Service and Civil Defence, the blaze was fully controlled at 9:18 PM, though ministry officials claimed the situation was under control slightly earlier.
The ministry’s statement said that the aviation adviser personally monitored the situation on-site and coordinated closely with all relevant agencies to ensure safety and restore operations.
However, a Jamuna Television reporter present at the scene around 9:15 PM confirmed that small flames were still visible at that time.
Authorities confirmed that no fatalities occurred, though at least seven people, including firefighters, sustained injuries. A probe committee will investigate the cause of the fire and recommend preventive measures to avoid future incidents.
The Cargo Village stored imported goods from various countries. The fire, which broke out around 2:30 PM, originated near Gate No. 8 of the airport and spread rapidly after thick smoke was first noticed.
Following the fire, flight operations were temporarily suspended, forcing several Dhaka-bound flights to land at Chattogram’s Shah Amanat Airport, Sylhet’s Osmani Airport, and even Kolkata Airport.
To control the blaze, 37 fire service units, along with the Army, Navy, Air Force, BGB, and Civil Aviation teams, worked together for several hours before bringing it under control.
The extent of the damage is still being assessed, though large quantities of clothing and chemical materials stored in the Cargo Village were reportedly destroyed.