Bangladesh’s RMG and Pharma Sectors Face Catastrophic Losses After Dhaka Airport Cargo Blaze
A massive fire that engulfed the cargo village of Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport has ignited serious fears of an economic impact that could exceed $1 billion on Bangladesh’s crucial import and export activities. While direct damages are still being assessed, business leaders from the nation’s vital garment and pharmaceutical sectors are warning of potentially catastrophic indirect losses.
These indirect losses are projected to include widespread order cancellations, the forced reliance on more expensive air freight alternatives, and critical shipping delays for essential samples and raw materials. Given that the air cargo complex handles indispensable goods for Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) industry—which alone accounts for nearly $40 billion in annual exports—the incident poses a severe threat to disrupt supply chains and significantly undermine the confidence of international buyers. The ripple effects are expected to be far-reaching, potentially impacting the nation’s economic stability.
