Business leaders blame CAAB for negligence over Dhaka airport fire, warn of 'image crisis'
Referring to recent fire incidents in several garment factories and now at the airport’s import cargo village, Hatem questioned whether these incidents were somehow linked
Highlights
- Business leaders blamed CAAB for negligence over the airport cargo village fire
- BKMEA chief warned of a major image crisis and poor safety at key sites
- Recent fires in factories and the airport raised suspicion of links
- BGMEA VP estimated losses near $1 billion and sought compensation
- Urged the government to set up alternative shipment systems
Business leaders have alleged negligence on the part of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) following the devastating fire that engulfed the import cargo village at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, warning that the incident could cause a major image crisis for the country abroad.
Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) President Mohammad Hatem questioned whether the Civil Aviation Authority had taken adequate precautions to prevent such a large-scale fire.
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In response to a journalist's question about whether there was negligence on the part of Civil Aviation, Hatem said, "Of course. There should have been an independent fire extinguishing system. Did Civil Aviation have that preparedness? If not, the government must find out who is responsible for this failure."
"This incident has caused losses worth thousands of crores of taka for the country's businesses and will inevitably lead to an image crisis in the international market," he added.
Speaking to reporters at the scene today (19 October), Hatem further said, "How could such a major fire break out at a key point installation (KPI) like this? It has exposed how fragile our security systems truly are."
"The two most important points of our economy are Chattogram port and Dhaka airport - if both remain this vulnerable, where can we place our trust in terms of national or economic security?" he asked.
Referring to recent fire incidents in several garment factories and now at the airport's import cargo village, Hatem questioned whether these incidents were somehow linked.
"We have also heard about a fire breaking out at the Incepta factory today. So, we have reasons to raise such questions," he said.
On the same day, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Senior Vice-President Inamul Haque Khan Bablu told reporters that they were still assessing the extent of damage.
"At one point, the entire import cargo village was engulfed in flames. However, the export section remained unaffected," he said, adding that losses could amount to nearly one billion dollars.
He called on the government to provide compensation for the damages, noting that although the import section was affected, export operations remained functional.
"We are continuing import and export activities, but to keep operations normal, we need to introduce an alternative shipment system immediately," Bablu said.
In a statement this afternoon, the BGMEA has urged the authorities concerned and the government to take the following measures to address the massive losses suffered by the garment industry:
- Launch a prompt and impartial investigation to determine whether the fire incident was an accident or an act of sabotage.
- Provide comprehensive support and appropriate compensation for the affected entrepreneurs.
- Simplify and expedite all procedures to ensure that regular shipments can continue smoothly, regardless of the current situation at the port, in order to maintain normal operations of the garment industry.
- Ensure the security of export goods in sensitive areas of the airport and avoid keeping export products in open spaces, so as not to cause concern among foreign buyers.
The BGMEA has also instructed its members to clear imported goods from Dhaka airport within 36 hours.
