Thick black smoke billowed over Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Saturday after a massive fire swept through the airport’s cargo terminal, forcing authorities to suspend all flights and divert incoming aircraft to other airports. Although the main passenger terminal escaped damage, operations were brought to a standstill as the blaze raged through the afternoon.

Fire Service spokesperson Talha bin Zasim said that 37 firefighting units, backed by security forces, were mobilized to contain the flames. The scale of the fire prompted reinforcements from nearby stations, with firefighters working for hours to bring the situation under control. The runway and surrounding areas remained covered in dense smoke as emergency teams worked to secure the site.

Moinul Ahsan, a senior official at the Directorate of Health, confirmed that four people suffered minor injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment. No fatalities have been reported so far. Initial assessments suggest that while cargo storage areas suffered significant damage, the main airport infrastructure remains largely unaffected.

According to The Daily Star, citing airport officials, flights were diverted as a precaution, but operations were expected to resume within hours once safety checks and cleanup efforts concluded. Telephone calls to airport authorities went unanswered during the emergency, as staff coordinated with firefighting and rescue personnel on the ground.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Officials have yet to determine whether the blaze originated from stored goods, electrical faults, or other operational factors. An inquiry has been launched to assess safety measures at the cargo complex and prevent future incidents.

Saturday’s fire serves as a reminder of the urgent need for robust safety and emergency preparedness in high-traffic airport facilities. While quick action by firefighters and airport authorities prevented a wider disaster, the incident exposed vulnerabilities that aviation regulators are now expected to review closely.