Fire tears through refugee camp in Bangladesh, killing 15, injuring 560 and displacing 45 000 people
A massive fire broke out Monday, 22 March 2021, in the crowded refugee camps of Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, where around 900 000 Rohingya people are living. According to initial estimates from the United Nations, 15 people have lost their lives in the blaze, 560 people were injured and some 45 000 people have been displaced. Médecins Sans Frontières’ (MSF’s) Balukhali Clinic was completely destroyed by the flames. Fortunately, all patients and staff were evacuated from the clinic before the fire intensified. MSF treated 11 people who were wounded as a result of the fire in Kutupalong hospital and the hospital on the hill.
The fire started around 14h00 on Monday in one of the shelters, witnesses said. It quickly grew out of control, fuelled by strong winds and hundreds of cooking gas cylinders that exploded as the flames raced across the camp.
Satellite images released on Tuesday showed vast stretches of blackened earth in the Kutupalong Balukhali area, where the camps were located. Roughly 250 acres were burned, a government official said.
This is not the first time fire has struck the camps, devastating the lives of many Rohingya families. Their shelters are built with temporary and flimsy materials, which mean that fire can spread rapidly across the camps. Conditions here are deteriorating, with people suffering from reduced access to health care, increased violence, and inadequate living conditions.
The full impact of the fire on the Rohingya community is yet to be seen, as the fire continued to burn overnight. It is still not clear how many shelters, health care facilities and other humanitarian infrastructure have been destroyed. This is a devastating blow to the Rohingya community, who have already endured years of hardship in poor living conditions.
The Rohingya have been denied the ability to return to their homes in Myanmar safely and with dignity. In Bangladesh, they face restrictions on their freedom of movement and have no access to livelihoods, including the ability to work. These barriers mean that they must depend entirely on humanitarian assistance for survival.
Sources: Médecins Sans Frontières, OCHA, New York TImes