The government has waived applicable charges for additional “special flights” being mounted in the wake of a fire at the import cargo complex of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, according to a government notification issued on Monday (Oct 20).

In a letter sent to the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism instructed that all chargeable fees for extra special flights operated by airlines be exempted from October 19 until 12:00 a.m. on October 21. 

The directive follows flight schedule disruptions caused by a blaze that broke out on Saturday (October 18) at the airport’s import cargo facility, prompting carriers to add services to clear the backlog.

Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport is managed by CAAB, the state regulator under the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism. 

Both the airport’s formal name and the regulator’s English title and acronym were confirmed in official and authoritative references. 

Local media reported significant disruption to cargo and flight operations at the time of the fire, with authorities working to stabilize airport activities thereafter. 

SMS/