Dhaka, Oct. 21 -- Air Vice Marshal Md Mostafa Mahmood Siddiq, chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), has refused to take the blame for the blaze at the import cargo complex of Dhaka's Shahjalal International Airport.

Although the building belongs to the CAAB, operations inside are conducted by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, clearing and forwarding (C&F) agents, and customs authorities, he said at a media briefing on Tuesday, three days after the devastating fire.

While he attributed much of the responsibility to these three parties, particularly Biman, which handles ground operations, he refrained from assigning direct blame, saying it would be "premature" to do so before the investigation concludes.

The CAAB chief ...