Country – follow-up
The Bangladeshi authorities are investigating the causes of a massive fire that engulfed a camp containing Rohingya refugees, affecting 12,000 people, who left them homeless.
Officials said that there were no reports of injuries, but the fire that occurred on Sunday destroyed 2,000 shelter tents after spreading quickly due to gas canisters in the kitchens, according to the BBC.
Police are investigating whether sabotage was behind the fire, and local media reported that police had arrested a man.
The camp, which is located in the southeast of the country, is believed to be the largest refugee camp in the world, housing Rohingya refugees who fled persecution in neighboring Myanmar.
An official said the fire broke out on Sunday at around 14:45 local time (08:45 GMT), and spread quickly through the bamboo and tarpaulin tents.
“Nearly 2,000 shelter tents have burned down, leaving about 12,000 forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals homeless,” Mizanur Rahman, Bangladesh’s refugee relief commissioner, told AFP news agency.
The fire was brought under control within three hours, but it left about 35 mosques and 21 educational centers for refugees destroyed.
Several people who were staying in the camp can be seen walking through the charred area from the fires, leaving only metal beams and corrugated roofing sheets.
Hrusikesh Harichandan of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies told the BBC that there had been “massive damage” to the camp.
He said basic services such as water centers and testing facilities were also affected.