Global Team to Probe Cargo Village Conflagration
An international team of experts from four countries has been invited to investigate the recent fire incident at the Cargo Village of Hazrat Shahjalal (R.) International Airport, said Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury.
He made the statement while briefing journalists on October 25 after inspecting the fire-damaged Cargo Village and the e-Gate area of the airport.
Lt. Gen. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said, “Experts from England, Australia, China, and Turkey will arrive to examine whether there was any mismanagement behind the Cargo Village fire. They will assist in determining the cause and responsibility for the incident.”
Rejecting claims that the Fire Service failed to control the blaze, he said, “The Fire Service made every possible effort to bring the fire under control. They reached the scene promptly and began operations. The four Fire Service units under the airport authority arrived within 30 seconds, while other units reached within 15 to 20 minutes.”
He further explained, “The fire spread rapidly because of the presence of flammable materials, including a large quantity of garments and some chemicals. Due to the rapid spread, it took some time to control the situation. Sometimes, wind also delays the extinguishing process.” He added that flight operations resumed at 9:00 pm on the same day.
The adviser also said discussions are underway to launch the airport’s electronic gate system soon. “Steps are being taken to reduce passport fees for expatriate workers — the warriors of remittance,” he added.
He further mentioned that strict instructions have been issued to minimize immigration processing time and prevent unnecessary harassment of passengers at the airport.
During the visit, Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Air Vice Marshal Md. Mostafa Mahmud Siddiq, and Director General of the Department of Immigration and Passports Major General Md. Nurul Anwar, ndc, psc, along with other senior officials, were present.
