Bangladeshi authorities launched on Monday an investigation into a massive fire at Rohingya refugee camps that has left 12,000 people without shelter.
The fire broke out on Sunday afternoon in Cox’s Bazar, a southeastern coastal district and the world’s largest refugee settlement, which hosts about 1.2 million Rohingya Muslims who fled violence and persecution in neighboring Myanmar.
The blaze swept through the Kutupalong and Balukhali camps, reducing to ashes some 2,000 huts before it was brought under control in the evening.
“The fire broke out in three blocks of the Rohingya camps, affecting around 12,000 Rohingyas. All of them lost their shelter,” Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner MizanurRahman said, adding that no casualties have been reported so far.
“Cox’s Bazar district administration has formed a seven-member committee today to find the exact reason for the fire. The committee is asked to file the report in three days.”
Rahman told Arab News that work to restore the shelters have already started, and the International Organization for Migration has distributed housing materials among the Rohingya, who will be rebuilding their homes themselves.
