A fire erupted in parts of a densely populated Rohingya refugee camp in south-eastern Bangladesh, leaving over 2,500 people without shelter, according to officials.
The blaze, which ignited in Cox’s Bazar camp 5, consumed approximately 500 makeshift shelters, with firefighters working tirelessly for over three hours to bring it under control, reported Officer Mohammad Iqbal.
So far there are no casualties, according to reports.
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Bangladesh in a post on X said that it is providing support to those affected by the tragedy.
Bangladesh has been a host to over 1 million Rohingya Muslims dispersed across 34 camps in Cox’s Bazar, having fled persecution in neighbouring Myanmar. A significant portion of this population, nearly 750,000 individuals, crossed the border in the wake of Myanmar’s military offensive launched in August 2017.
Myanmar’s military campaign has been described as ethnic cleansing and possible genocide by the United Nations.
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The recent fire adds to the challenges faced by this vulnerable community amid the consistent need for continued humanitarian aid and assistance.
The Rohingya refugee camps are prone to fires due to the lack of facilities, overcrowding, and the fragile nature of wooden, bamboo, and plastic huts that are spread over the entire area.
Bangladesh’s Cox Bazar camp prone fires
In March last year, a major camp fire destroyed over 3,000 shelters, 155 facilities, including hospitals and educational centers, and reportedly displaced over 32,000 refugees.
The fire was later found to be an act of sabotage in a subsequent investigation by Bangladesh authorities.
A total of 222 incidents of fire occurred in Rohingya camps between January 2021 and December 2022, according to Bangladesh Defense Ministry.
Ninety-nine were accidents, 60 were arson, and the cause of 63 fire incidents was undetermined.
(With inputs from agencies)
