The fire at the cargo village of Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport was brought under control after seven hours on Saturday night.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism said in a statement at 8:30 pm that the blaze had been “brought under total control.” However, flames were still visible inside the cargo warehouse near gate no. 8 until around 9:25 pm, as firefighters continued efforts to fully extinguish it.
Flight operations at the airport resumed Saturday night after nearly seven hours of suspension caused by the fire. At 9:04 pm, Fly Dubai flight FZ-552 became the first aircraft to take off following resumption, having circled Dhaka’s airspace before receiving clearance.
Several other airlines, including US-Bangla and IndiGo, were preparing for departure, while inbound flights were gradually being cleared to land.
The massive blaze, which erupted at the cargo village on Friday afternoon, sent thick black smoke billowing across the capital. It was brought under control through a large-scale operation involving 37 fire service units, military personnel, and other emergency agencies.
Airport authorities said all safety checks have been completed and normal operations are being restored in phases. Passengers have been advised to contact their airlines for updated flight information.
Meanwhile, Biman Bangladesh Airlines has formed a seven-member committee to investigate the incident.
An office order signed by Biman Director (Administration and Human Resources, Additional Responsibilities) Md. Nausad Hossain on Saturday night announced the formation of the probe committee.
The committee includes Biman’s Chief (Flight Safety), a representative of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, the General Manager (Corporate Safety and Quality), Chief Engineer (Quality Assurance), Deputy General Manager (Security), Deputy General Manager (Cargo-Export), and Deputy Manager (Insurance).
They have been tasked with identifying the cause of the fire, assessing damages, determining responsibility, and recommending measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. The committee has been asked to submit its report to Biman’s Managing Director and CEO within five working days.
