Massive fire at Bangladesh's main international airport could cost country $1B

Bangladesh's vital garment industry is counting the vast costs of a fire that gutted the cargo complex at Bangladesh's main airport over the weekend, with some estimates that it could set the country back more than $1billion, according to The Independent, Report informs.

The fire tore through storage areas used for imported raw materials, ready-to-export apparel, and product samples at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Saturday afternoon.

At least 37 firefighting units were deployed to douse the blaze, which was only completely extinguished after 27 hours. The fire prompted authorities to suspend all operations at the airport until evening on Saturday.

The army, navy, and air force were also pressed into joining the efforts to douse the flames.

Mohammad Hatem, president of the Exporters Association of Bangladesh, said a preliminary assessment found that the blaze caused a loss of $1 billion. "The direct loss is from the goods burnt in the fire, but this is not the only damage. The raw materials destroyed in the blaze will prevent the production of export-ready goods, which will lead to even greater losses," he told reporters on Monday.