Major Fire at Dhaka Airport Cargo Terminal Disrupts Flights in 2025

On October 18, 2025, a significant fire broke out in the cargo terminal of Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, leading to the suspension of all domestic and international flights.

Airport official Masudul Hasan assured that all aircraft remained safe. However, operations were halted as 36 firefighting units, led by Talha Bin Zasim of the Fire Service and Civil Defence, worked to extinguish the flames. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation, with no immediate details available.

FLAMES burn through Dhaka intl. airport

Entire cargo terminal COVERED in smoke

ALL flights suspended at Hazrat Shahjalal pic.twitter.com/S99Iklelbx

— RT (@RT_com) October 18, 2025

The fire caused chaos for air travel. An IndiGo flight from Delhi was diverted to Kolkata. An Air Arabia flight from Sharjah was rerouted to Chittagong. A Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong circled, unable to land. The Bangladesh Army, Navy, and Air Force joined firefighting efforts. Their goal was to contain the blaze, which disrupted operations at the country’s primary aviation hub.

VIDEO | Dhaka, Bangladesh: A fire broke out at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s Cargo Village earlier today. Firefighters are on site working to contain the blaze. More details awaited.

(Source: Third Party)#Dhaka pic.twitter.com/LCVhjDpyl7

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 18, 2025

This marks Bangladesh’s third major fire in a week, raising concerns about fire safety protocols. On October 14, a garment factory fire and an adjacent chemical warehouse blaze in Gazipur killed 16 and injured dozens. On October 16, another fire destroyed a garment factory in Chittagong’s export processing zone, causing significant economic loss. These incidents highlight vulnerabilities in industrial and public infrastructure.

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The Dhaka airport fire disrupts critical travel and trade routes, impacting Bangladesh’s economy and regional connectivity. With recurring fires, urgent safety reforms are needed.