One year after a devastating fire broke out at the cargo village of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, authorities have strengthened fire prevention measures, increased patrols, including on holidays, and trained nearly 2,000 personnel to improve emergency preparedness.
The fire broke out on October 18, 2025, destroying goods worth thousands of crores of taka and important documents. It drew widespread attention at home and abroad.
Firefighters, along with personnel from the army, navy, air force and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), worked to bring the blaze under control. Although the fire was brought under initial control at around 9pm that day, firefighting operations continued until 4:55pm on October 19, taking nearly 27 hours to complete.
The incident prompted airport authorities to form an investigation committee, which made 14 recommendations to strengthen fire safety across the airport, including the cargo area. Authorities subsequently began implementing the recommendations.
The measures included installing temporary fire hydrant points in the old import cargo area, improving fire safety at the old import and export cargo facilities, installing emergency signage at the general aviation hangar complex, and repairing non-functional hydrants at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong.
Other recommendations called for installing pumps, hydrants, sprinklers and fire detection systems at the general aviation hangar complex, placing fire hose boxes at four locations, establishing a permanent fire station and improving facilities for emergency response vehicles. The recommendations also covered modernizing the existing agreement with the air force and expediting the central fuel shed project.
Mehboob Khan, member (planning and operations) of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), said that meetings were held with all relevant agencies following last year's fire. “Almost all the recommendations are now in the process of being implemented,” he said.
He added that airlines and courier companies were responsible for safety and security within the cargo area, as CAAB had leased the premises to them. They would have to bear responsibility for accidents if they failed to address their own shortcomings, he said.
CAAB spokesperson Kawsar Mahmud said two Fire Service and Civil Defence units had been established at the airport to strengthen fire safety and ensure a rapid response to emergencies. Adequate fire hydrant points had also been installed at key locations.
Regular fire drills and emergency rescue exercises are being conducted at different offices every month to raise awareness and improve preparedness, he said.
More than 1,900 people working in the terminal building area have received training on fire safety, the use of firefighting equipment and emergency procedures.
Regular monitoring and patrols are also being conducted throughout the airport, including on public holidays and weekly days off, to identify potential risks and ensure readiness for swift action in emergencies, Kawsar added.
The fire at a glance
- The blaze broke out shortly after 2:15 pm on October 18, 2025, near Gate 8 at the cargo village complex
- A total of 37 Fire Service units, alongside the army, navy and air force, took part in the response
- At least 35 people, including 25 Ansar members, were injured
- Goods worth thousands of crores of taka were destroyed
