Business leaders question CAAB role over Dhaka airport fire, warn of 'image crisis'
BGMEA to help rebuild airport warehouse destroyed in fire, pledges over Tk3cr
Business leaders have questioned the role of Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) following the devastating fire that engulfed the import cargo village at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
They also warned that the incident could inflict a serious image crisis on the country in the global market.
Speaking to reporters at the scene today, Mohammad Hatem, president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), questioned whether the CAAB had taken adequate precautions to prevent such a large-scale disaster.
"If not, the government must find out who is responsible for this failure," he said.
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In response to a question, he said, "Of course there was negligence. There should have been an independent fire extinguishing system."
Hatem said the blaze had caused losses worth thousands of crores of taka for businesses, particularly in the garment and manufacturing sectors, and would "inevitably lead to an image crisis in the international market."
"How could such a major fire break out at a key point installation (KPI) like this?" he asked. "It has exposed how fragile our security and safety 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 at the Incepta factory today. So, we have reasons to raise such questions," he added.
BGMEA pledges over Tk3 crore
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has announced financial support for the reconstruction of the import cargo warehouse at Dhaka airport.
The rebuilding cost is expected to exceed Tk3 crore. The decision was made during an emergency meeting of the association today.
The BGMEA also said it will assist exporters whose imported raw materials, accessories, and equipment were damaged in the blaze, helping them claim compensation from their insurers.
Affected members have been asked to provide detailed information about their losses.
Inamul Haq Khan Bablu, senior vice-president of BGMEA, told The Business Standard, "Several years ago, we built a warehouse at the airport with our own funds to store imported consignments, which cost around Tk2.25 crore. Now, the government has asked for our support to rebuild the damaged facility.
"We have decided to construct a new warehouse where our member companies can keep their imported consignments. The project may cost over Tk3 crore."
Inamul Haq further told TBS that export consignments were not affected by the fire, and import-export activities have mostly returned to normal.
Temporary arrangements have been made to store imported goods in another cargo shed, he added.
He also mentioned that his own company lost 12 imported consignments worth around $37,000 in the incident.
Earlier in the day, Inamul told reporters that they were still assessing the extent of damage, adding that losses could amount to nearly one billion dollars.
He had also called on the government to provide compensation for the damages.
