Dhaka airport cargo chaos persists nearly a month after fire

Highlights:

• Fire crippled Dhaka Airport cargo village, severely disrupting courier deliveries
• Physical examinations dropped from 20% to under 5% post-fire
• Officials fear false declarations and entry of prohibited or harmful goods
• Only two delivery gates working; disorganised storage causing major delays
• Around half of consignments undelivered, nearly 1,000 tonnes stuck
• Government considering relocating cargo village to improve safety and efficiency

Nearly four weeks after a devastating fire at Dhaka Airport's import cargo village, air courier consignment delivery remains significantly disrupted, causing widespread delays and financial distress for importers across the country.

The chaotic situation, aggravated by severe damage to vital infrastructure, has forced Dhaka Customs House to drastically reduce physical examinations of incoming goods, sparking concerns over massive government revenue losses and the potential entry of prohibited items.

Fears of false declarations

According to officials at Dhaka Customs House, the fire destroyed two sophisticated scanning machines, each costing around Tk4.5 crore and requiring importation from abroad.

Speaking to The Business Standard on condition of anonymity, a senior official of the Dhaka Customs House said, "Previously, at least 20% of imported consignments were physically examined based on risk assessment. But the fire destroyed two vital scanners... At present, we are not able to physically examine even 5% of imported consignments."

With most consignments being released without physical checks to expedite the logjam, officials fear a surge in false declarations. This practice involves declaring high-duty items as low-duty or duty-free goods to evade taxes, resulting in substantial revenue losses for the government and raising serious concerns about harmful or prohibited products entering the country.

Infograph: TBS

Quazi Ajmal Hossain, a customs agent and law secretary of the Dhaka Customs Agents Association, confirmed the danger, stating, "When physical examinations are reduced, the risk of both false declarations and entry of harmful goods increases."

Dhaka Customs House Commissioner Mosiur Rahman admitted that physical examinations have decreased but insisted that "We are conducting physical checks based on risk assessment."

Customs data shows that the office handles an average of 8,000 airway bills daily, of which around 70% are documents weighing less than one kilogram. The remaining consignments include garment samples, accessories, pharmaceutical raw materials, electronics, machinery and government imports. Over 50 air courier companies operate in this segment, with DHL and FedEx controlling roughly 70% of the market.

Only one delivery gate operational

Before the fire, goods were delivered through five gates. At present, only two gates are operational, while charred sheds remain unreconstructed. Courier companies are struggling with inadequate storage space, forcing them to keep incoming parcels in a highly disorganised manner.

A decision made in early November – stipulating that uncollected parcels after 48 hours may be forfeited – has not been effectively enforced, further worsening congestion.

Ajmal said he has been unable to trace his own consignment despite paying duties four days earlier. "The goods are so disorganised that locating them is nearly impossible," he said, adding that many C&F agents and importers are facing the same ordeal.

He estimated that about half of all daily consignments remain undelivered and nearly 1,000 tonnes of goods are now stuck inside the airport. "If this continues, the entire area will be clogged with imported consignments within days," he warned.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines, however, has stated that it is fully prepared to deliver goods and is providing services round the clock. It alleges that although Biman Bangladesh authorities and Customs offer services especially at night, importers are not collecting their imported consignments.

In a letter sent to the BGMEA on 19 November, the Biman authorities said that although officials from Biman and Customs remain present after midnight, no goods are released. "As a result, the volume of uncleared goods is increasing day by day."

Describing this as a "threat to the overall operations, safety, and security of the airport," the letter called for the swift clearance of the goods.

Govt considering relocation of cargo village

Customs officials argue that keeping the import cargo village inside the airport perimeter poses ongoing fire and safety risks. Prior attempts to relocate it outside the airport premises were ignored, they said.

Following the recent fire, discussions on relocation have resumed. A member of the home ministry's investigation committee said the panel may recommend moving the facility offsite in its upcoming report.

However, customs officials highlight two challenges: not all courier companies handling international parcels are fully compliant, and relocating operations could provide opportunities for misuse by non-compliant operators.

Even so, officials broadly agree that relocation, along with improved management, is essential for ensuring long-term safety, efficiency and resilience in the country's air cargo operations.