Fire at Shahjalal airport cargo village halt flight operations

A fire at the cargo village of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka has led to the suspension of flight operations.

Several flights have been diverted to other airports in Bangladesh and abroad, as confirmed by Mohammad Kausar Mahmud, Assistant Director and Public Relations Officer of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), to Daily Samakal.

The fire broke out in the cargo area at 2:15 pm on Saturday, October 18, 2025. Airport fire services, air force fire units, and other organisations responded immediately but have not yet brought the fire under control. Efforts are ongoing, with 37 fire service units deployed.

An eyewitness reported that the fire started in the courier godown and spread rapidly. Mahbubul Alam, an official from importer AFM Trade International, told Daily Samakal that goods stored at the cargo village were completely gutted.

Rafi Al Faruk, duty officer at the Fire Service Control Room, stated that four fire units were dispatched at 2:34 pm, with more units joining later. The cause of the fire remains unknown.

Due to the fire, the airport’s airfield was closed until 6 pm, disrupting flight operations. Eight flights, including two international flights each from US-Bangla Airlines and Biman Bangladesh Airlines, were diverted to Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong by 5 pm, as confirmed by Ibrahim Khalil, public relations officer at the Chittagong airport.

To assist with rescue operations, two platoons of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed to the scene, according to BGB Public Relations Officer Md. Shariful Islam.