At least seven people, including two children, were killed in a fire that broke out at the Balukhali Rohingya camp in Ukhiya upazila of Cox’s Bazar district on Monday.
The identities of the deceased are yet to be established, police said Tuesday.
Shahadat Hossain, an officer of Cox’s Bazar Fire Service and Civil Defence, said firefighters recovered the charred bodies of seven people from the camp till Tuesday morning.
Additional Refugee, Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner Md Samsuddouza said, “More than 10,000 shanties were gutted in the fire but the number could increase further. Besides, 200 houses of local people were also burned down by the fire.”
The fire spread soon and seven firefighting units put the fire under control around 10 pm on Monday, he said adding that members of Army, police, APBn, Red Crescent and volunteers joined the fire fighters and conducted rescue operation.
UNO Ahmed Nizam Uddin, said the devastating fire left some 10000-15000 Rohingya families homeless.
Sihab Kaisar, assistant superintendent of APBn-8 police, said a portion of APBn barrack was also damaged in the fire although the arms and others valuables were removed safely from the barrack.
Syed Mohammad Tahfim, an officer of Inter Sector Coordination Group (ISCG), said the extent of losses caused by the fire could not be ascertained yet.
The origin of the fire could not be known yet and the actual reason will be known after investigation, said Gazi Salauddin, officer-in-charge of Ukhiya Police Station.
The fire broke out at Balukhali Rohingya camp nos 8 and 9 around 4.30 pm Monday.
On information, seven firefighting units rushed to the spot and contained the blaze around 10 pm.
Besides, offices of some local and foreign NGOs and a police barrack in the camp were gutted in the fire.
Meanwhile, the Rohingya people, who lost their belongings, have taken shelter on Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf highway, said local UP Chairman Gafur Uddin.
UNICEF has expressed its deepest sympathy to the Rohingyas affected by Monday’s fire in the Rohingya camp in Cox’s Bazar.
The fire that occurred on Monday already caused “enormous devastation”, spreading rapidly through shanties and displacing thousands of people, it says.
While large-scale evacuations have taken place, the full extent of the disaster is yet to be confirmed.
“UNICEF and our partners are on the ground addressing the immediate and urgent needs of children and families. UNICEF has mobilised health teams for first aid support as well as volunteers to evacuate refugees from their shelters,” said UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh, Tomoo Hozumi.
“UNICEF child protection personnel and their partner organizations are working to assist children in need including separated children. Our partners are also delivering emergency supplies and clean drinking water,” the representative added.
UNICEF also thanked the local authorities and front-line responders for their efforts to bring the fire under control.
“Our priority is to secure the immediate safety, security and protection of children in coordination with the authorities concerned, first responders and partner organisations in the UN and NGO community.”
Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar and Bhashan Char in Noakhali. The majority of them came here in August 2017, fleeing persecution in their homeland of Rakhine state in Myanmar.
