35 security personnel injured in Dhaka airport fire

At least 35 security personnel, including 25 Ansar members and 10 police, were injured while battling a massive fire at the import cargo village of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Saturday afternoon.

The injured were taken to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) and Kurmitola General Hospital for treatment.

The fire broke out around 2:30pm near Gate 8 of the cargo village, where warehouses storing imported chemicals, garments, electronics, and machinery caught fire.

Thirty-seven firefighting units rushed to the spot and were working to contain the blaze, Fire Service and Civil Defence control room duty officer Rafi Al Faruk told the Daily Sun.

Alongside the firefighters, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), and members of the Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Air Force, and Border Guard Bangladesh were also putting out the fire.

According to officials, around 1,000 Ansar members were on duty at the airport, many of whom took part in the firefighting efforts. Twenty-five were injured during the operation.

Md Golam Maula Tuhin, commander of Ansar’s Uttara zone, said, “Our members identified the fire early and informed the authorities. Despite the risks, they showed great courage in the initial firefighting efforts.”

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (Uttara Division) Mahidul Islam confirmed that at least ten police members were injured while assisting in the firefighting operation.

“They were taken to Kurmitola General Hospital. A senior officer has been sent there to oversee their treatment,” he told reporters at the scene in the evening.