A massive fire at the import cargo complex of Dhaka Airport, Bangladesh, has destroyed goods and materials belonging to leading garment exporters, with industry leaders warning that losses could reach millions of dollars and disrupt trade.

The blaze, which erupted on Saturday afternoon in the import section of the airport’s cargo village, forced a temporary suspension of flights. By Sunday, smoke was still rising from the burned facility as firefighters and airport officials assessed the full extent of the damage, according to Reuters.

The fire destroyed storage areas containing imported raw materials, ready-to-export garments, and product samples — critical components of Bangladesh’s $47 billion garment industry.

“This incident has caused serious damage to the country’s export trade, especially the garment sector,” said Inamul Haq Khan, senior vice-president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association.

“High-value goods and urgent air shipments have been destroyed — including garments prepared for shipment, raw materials for production, and, most importantly, product samples.”

He cautioned that the loss of samples could threaten future business prospects.

“These samples are essential for securing new buyers and expanding orders. Losing them means our members may miss out on future opportunities,” he noted.

The BGMEA has started collecting data from affected exporters to assess the scale of the damage. “We have asked all members to submit detailed lists of damaged goods, and an online portal has been launched to speed up data collection,” Khan noted.

Dhaka Airport’s cargo village is among Bangladesh’s busiest logistics hubs, processing over 600 metric tons of dry cargo daily, a volume that typically doubles during the October to December peak season.

“Every day, around 200 to 250 factories send their products by air,” Khan said. “Given that scale, the financial impact is significant.”

The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, and authorities have launched an investigation.

This incident is the third major blaze reported in Bangladesh within a week.

On Tuesday, a fire at a garment factory and an adjoining chemical warehouse in Dhaka claimed at least 16 lives and left several others injured.