Amid long record of airport safety lapses, fresh calls grow for urgent reforms
CAAB, the landlord for both cargo and courier facilities, was found to have failed in ensuring structural soundness and fire compliance under the Building Construction Rules 2020
A string of long-standing safety failures at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport has prompted renewed calls for structural reform, stricter oversight and accountability, as investigators warn of the risk of similar incidents recurring without immediate corrective action.
The latest government probe into the 18 October fire, which ripped through the import cargo village's courier shed, destroying shipments and causing major business losses, paints a picture of persistent mismanagement and regulatory gaps across multiple agencies.
The building involved in the blaze was constructed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) in 1982–83, comprising 12,455 sq ft of indoor space and a 9,150 sq ft tin shed added later by the courier companies' association (IAEAB) without official approval. A Biman internal report found the tin shed lacked even the most basic fire safety provisions.
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Although the Dhaka Customs Agents Association initially suspected the blaze might have been pre-planned, the government probe committee later confirmed there was no evidence of sabotage.
Instead, the inquiry highlighted systemic failures: weak supervision of import cargo, no safeguards for dangerous goods, the absence of a dedicated airport fire station, and repeated violations of the Bangladesh National Building Code. Investigators noted that around 400 tonnes of cargo were routinely left on the apron, obstructing access routes to the courier shed.
CAAB, the landlord for both cargo and courier facilities, was found to have failed in ensuring structural soundness and fire compliance under the Building Construction Rules 2020. The portion of the structure where the fire originated had no approved design.
Aviation analyst and former Biman board member Kazi Wahidul Alam told TBS, "If CAAB had fulfilled its responsibilities, this incident would not have occurred. When the regulator is also the operator, who holds it to account?"
He added that the US Federal Aviation Administration had long cited CAAB's conflicting roles as a major concern during Bangladesh's attempts to restore New York flights.
Demand for accountability intensifies
The probe lists seven major airport fires since 2011, which experts say is a pattern of neglect rather than isolated events. It also found that a memorandum of understanding between CAAB and the Fire Service and Civil Defence has remained unsigned for nine years, while a 2021 recommendation by the Bangladesh National Authority for the Chemical Weapons Convention to relocate the dangerous goods godown was ignored.
Biman, a CAAB lessee, was similarly faulted for not ensuring adequate fire protection for its own facilities. The committee recommended that Biman be restricted solely to flight operations, with ground handling transferred to a competent operator appointed by CAAB. Courier companies, also lessees, were found to have failed to implement essential safety measures.
"Those responsible must be held to account," said Kazi Wahidul Alam. "We have had fires in both the passenger and cargo terminals, yet no one has ever been punished. The recommendations must not remain on paper."
Investigators warned that without sweeping reforms, "overall mismanagement" and inadequate firefighting capability could leave the airport vulnerable to similar disasters.
Agencies push back as scrutiny deepens
CAAB Chairman Air Vice Marshal Md Mostafa Mahmood Siddiq said the organisation would review the probe findings and respond if necessary.
The Civil Aviation Ministry's adviser, Sk Bashir Uddin, did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
IAEAB President Kabir Ahmed rejected the allegations against courier companies. He insisted that oversight of the warehouse rested with CAAB, adding that IAEAB had previously alerted the authority to poor maintenance and electrical risks after the association's management responsibilities were revoked in 2023.
Biman spokesperson Bushra Islam said the airline had reviewed the probe report but declined to comment on whether it bore any responsibility.
As pressure mounts, aviation specialists say that unless regulatory duties are separated from operational responsibilities and safety enforcement becomes consistent, Bangladesh's busiest airport will remain exposed to preventable hazards — a warning that now echoes louder than ever.
