Dhaka: The massive fire that devastated a cargo complex at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport two days ago has caused monumental losses to Bangladesh’s garment exporters.
The deadly blaze which erupted the cargo import area of Bangladesh’s biggest airport on Saturday afternoon reduced to ashes large areas where huge quantities of imported raw materials, finished garments and vital product samples were stored.
Coming as it did during the peak export season, Bangladesh’s business leaders fear that the losses could be to the tune of USD 1 billion.
“It’s a devastating sight. The entire import section has been reduced to ashes,” Faisal Samad, director of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera.
Among the destroyed goods were urgent shipments and critical samples which were used by exporters to secure fresh business deals.
“These samples are essential to attracting new buyers and increasing orders… Losing them could seriously impact our future prospects,” said Inamul Haq Khan, senior vice-president of BGMEA.
A day after the fire, smoke was still rising from the gutted area as airport officials, traders and other agencies surveyed the damage.
The affected cargo area is one of Bangladesh’s key logistics hubs, which handles more than 600 metric tonnes of dry cargo every day. During the peak period of October to December, the volume doubles, Al Jazeera reported.
Inamul informed that around 200 to 250 factories rely on air freight from this facility every day. “The financial impact is enormous given the scale,” he noted.
Investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire.
Bangladesh is the world’s second-largest apparel exporter, after China. The apparel industry provides employment to around 4 million people and accounts for more than 10 per cent of the country’s GDP.
