Fire trucks faced no barriers entering airport blaze site: CAAB chairman

Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Chairman Air Vice Marshal Md Mostafa Mahmood Siddiq has said that no firefighting vehicle was obstructed from entering Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) during Saturday's fire at the airport's cargo complex.

Responding to queries at a press briefing at the CAAB headquarters in the capital's Kurmitola today (21 October), he said, "No firefighting vehicle was obstructed from entering the airport. Neither the Fire Service nor any other agency has reported any delay in accessing the fire site."

He cautioned against misinformation surrounding the incident, saying, "A lot of rumours are being spread about the incident. These must be avoided in the greater interest of the country."

In response to a question about who was responsible for the piles of goods left on the runway that hindered firefighting efforts, he said, "The goods that were stacked on the runway apron, obstructing fire vehicles' movement, belong to Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Dhaka Customs House, and C&F [Clearing and Forwarding] agents. According to regulations, these items are supposed to be cleared within 21 days, but they often remain there for years."

The CAAB chairman, however, said that he did not wish to blame any particular agency at this stage, citing the ongoing investigation.

He further explained that while the Dhaka airport's Cargo Village building is owned by CAAB, the operations inside are managed by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Dhaka Customs House, and C&F agents.

While the firefighting capacity at the country's airports is adequate, it needs to be further enhanced, said the CAAB chairman. "I won't say we lack capability, but it must be strengthened further."

Explaining the intensity of the blaze, he noted that it spread rapidly due to the presence of highly flammable materials in the cargo area, which made it difficult to bring the fire under control in its early stages.

The CAAB chairman said the fire at the Cargo Village is believed to have originated from the Import Courier Section. "We are not certain yet, but that is the preliminary assumption. Several agencies are working on the issue, and the exact cause of the fire will be known after the investigation reports are finalised," he added.

All measures were taken as per int'l regulations

Regarding the recent fire at the airport's Cargo Village, the CAAB chairman said, "A fire drill is conducted once a week at the airport. Even after the fire broke out, all necessary steps were taken in compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organisation [ICAO] regulations."

He added that the incident would not impact ICAO's assessment of the airport's standards. "ICAO will look at whether we took appropriate measures in response to the accident. Once the investigation report is completed and corrective steps are taken, the airport's reputation will remain intact," Mostafa Mahmood said.

Asked why no action was taken despite 19 letters reportedly issued by CAAB's relevant department to improve fire safety measures, he said the claim was not entirely accurate.

"In reality, projects often face delays due to budget constraints, approval processes, differing opinions among operators, and other structural challenges. However, we are now taking these issues very seriously," he said.

The chairman further mentioned that cargo operations were not halted even for a day and continued through Gate 9.

The CAAB chairman, however, did not respond when asked about the insurance coverage of the Cargo Village.

New cargo facility at HSIA 3rd terminal unlikely to open soon

The CAAB chairman said the new cargo facility at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport's (HSIA) third terminal cannot yet be taken over due to unresolved financial issues.

"There is a gap of nearly Tk1,000 crore between the amount claimed by the contractor and the figure agreed upon," he told reporters in response to a query.

Following the recent fire that gutted the existing Cargo Village, CAAB had sent a letter to the contractor, requesting the use of the newly built cargo terminal. In reply, the contractor demanded payment of outstanding bills worth around Tk1,000 crore and said it would not be able to hand over the terminal until the dues were cleared.

"The modern cargo shed was completed about 18 months ago. It's equipped with technology that allows users to track cargo movements remotely from offices or homes. However, it has not yet been opened. Steps have now been taken to operationalise it, and letters have been issued to the concerned company," the CAAB chairman said.

"To launch the new cargo shed, several contractual and financial matters need to be settled. The company has raised its claims, and discussions are ongoing. They have sent a letter, and we are also working from our end to resolve the issue," he added.