Power cut halts HSIA operations

Routine operations at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in the capital, Dhaka, were disrupted severely on Sunday due to a sudden power outage.

Power connection got snapped accidentally during a clearance drive to reclaim railway land at Kawla opposite the hub airport, said a Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) official.

No international flight was halted but the air passengers suffered at international and domestic terminals for a breakdown in air conditioning and water supply.

Power outage started around 8:00 am and continued partially until the filing of this report at 6:30pm.

CAAB communications director Md Hamidul Haque said work related to immigration process was kept functional by backup generators.

Dhaka Electric Supply Company Limited (DESCO) was working frantically to fix the problem, he added.

Mr Haque said the situation was worse until 10:00 am but it started to improve after running the generators.

Water supply resumed in the afternoon and air-conditioning restored to almost 90 per cent inside the airport, he added.

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