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Bangladesh’s vital apparel industry is counting big costs Cargo complex of Bangladesh’s main airport gutted in fire Over the weekend, some estimates suggested it could cost the country more than $1 billion (£750 million).
A fire broke out in storage areas used for imported raw materials, ready-to-export garments and product samples at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Saturday afternoon.
At least 37 firefighting units were deployed to extinguish the fire, which was completely extinguished after 27 hours. The fire forced authorities to suspend all operations at the airport till Saturday evening.
The Army, Navy and Air Force were also involved in efforts to extinguish the fire.
Exporters Association President Mohammad Hatem bangladeshSaid that preliminary assessment showed that the fire caused damage of $1 billion. “The direct loss is from the goods burnt in the fire, but this is not the only loss. The raw materials destroyed in the fire will not be able to produce goods ready for export, which will lead to even greater losses,” he told reporters on Monday.
“We are sending urgent messages to our members to determine the extent of the loss, but the full picture has not yet emerged. The actual level of loss can only be known after a transparent and thorough investigation,” he said.
Enamul Haq Khan, senior vice president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said the incident will have a long-term impact on the country’s export trade. “High-value goods and essential air shipments have been destroyed – including clothing ready for shipment, raw materials for production and, most importantly, product samples,” he said.
“These samples are essential to securing new buyers and increasing orders. Losing these means our members could miss out on future opportunities.”
The airport cargo village is one of the busiest logistics hubs in Bangladesh, handling over 600 metric tonnes of dry cargo per day – this figure doubles during the peak season from October to December.
“Every day, around 200 to 250 factories send their products by air,” Mr Khan said. “Given that scale, the financial impact is significant.”
This incident is the third major fire in Bangladesh in the last week. At least 16 people were killed and others injured in a fire that broke out at a garment factory and an adjacent chemical warehouse in Dhaka last Tuesday. another one on thursday Seven storey textile factory burnt to ashes Construction in an export processing zone in Chittagong.
Bangladesh is the world’s second largest apparel exporter after China. The sector, which supplies major global retailers such as Walmart, H&M and Gap, employs around 4 million workers and generates around $40bn (£29.8bn) – more than a tenth of the country’s GDP.