Products valued at about US $ 1 billion may have been damaged in the fire at the Dhaka airport’s import cargo complex, according to the head of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA”).
Inamul Haq Khan, Senior Vice-President of the BGMEA, while speaking in front of the fire-ravaged cargo village area at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, stated that the extent of losses from the fire is yet to be assessed but it may reach nearly US $ 1 billion.
He said the export section of the cargo village remains unaffected by the devastating fire that broke out around 2:15 pm yesterday. Coming under control after seven hours, the massive fire severely damaged the import storage area, which is primarily used for keeping samples of clothing items.
Shipping more than 600 tonnes of dry cargo on a regular day, the cargo village is mainly used by the garment exporters. During the peak season from October to December, the volume can increase to as high as 1200 tonnes per day, as per the exporters.
To facilitate export and import activities, Inamul said the government has instructed the airport authorities to keep the cargo village operational round the clock, including on weekends (Friday and Saturday).
