Over 50 houses burnt in Ukhiya Rohingya camp fire

More than 50 houses have been burnt in a fire in a Rohingya camp in Ukhiya, Cox's Bazar, but no casualties have been reported so far.

Mohammad Shamsud Douza, additional Refugee Relief and Repatriation commissioner, said the fire initiated in E-Block of Balukhali No. 11 Rohingya Camp of Ukhiya Upazila at 2:30am on Saturday.

Samsud Douza Nayan said, three units of fire service and civil defense came to the spot after receiving the information about the fire and brought it under control.

Shafiqul Islam, station officer of Ukhiya Fire Service, said it is initially believed that more than 50 houses have been burnt in the fire. The cause of the fire is being investigated.

Additional Deputy Inspector General (ADIG) Amir Zafar, the commander of 8 Armed Police Battalion assigned to the security of the Rohingya camp, said it is being investigated whether the fire was planned or an accident. APBN has been on the scene since the beginning, he added.

Earlier on 5 March this year vandals set fire to another block of the same camp which burned 2,200 houses and affected more than 15,000 Rohingyas.

And on 22 March 2021, there was a terrible fire incident in three camps. At that time, 11 people died and more than 500 were injured. Also, more than 10,000 houses were burnt.