Despite 19 Warnings, CAAB Failed to Act on Fire Safety Concerns

The recent devastating fire at the Cargo House of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport has highlighted severe deficiencies in fire safety measures at the country’s airports. It has emerged that, over the past year, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) received 19 letters requesting urgent action, yet no effective measures were taken.

These letters outlined the need for the repair and maintenance of firefighting vehicles, many of which were reported to be inoperable. The letters indicated that, at airports including Shahjalal, eight other major airports in the country had 19 firefighting vehicles that were mostly non-functional, putting airport security at significant risk.

The situation had been allowed to deteriorate over time, with minor issues escalating into major safety concerns. According to ICAO regulations, failure to maintain functional firefighting equipment could downgrade the airport’s status, posing a direct threat to operations. A CAAB official stated, "In the event of an aircraft accident, these vehicles are the first line of defense. If they are out of service, the chances of mitigating damage are significantly reduced."

Although CAAB has promised to review expenses and take swift action, questions are now being raised as to why, despite receiving 19 warnings, the authority remained inactive until the fire disaster occurred.