FILE PHOTO: Rohingya refugees sit on wooden benches of a navy vessel on their way to the Bhasan Char island in Noakhali district, Bangladesh (REUTERS)
The fire started at Camp 16 and raced through shelters made of bamboo and tarpaulin, leaving more than 5,000 people homeless
- AFP
- Last Updated: January 09, 2022, 23:55 IST
- FOLLOW US ON:
Thousands of people were left homeless after a fire gutted parts of a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh, police said on Sunday. About 850,000 of the persecuted Muslim minority — many of whom escaped a 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar that UN investigators concluded was executed with “genocidal intent” — live in a network of camps in Bangladesh’s border district of Cox’s Bazar.
“About 1,200 houses were burnt in the fire,” said Kamran Hossain, a spokesman for the Armed Police Battalion, which heads security in the camp.
The fire started at Camp 16 and raced through shelters made of bamboo and tarpaulin, leaving more than 5,000 people homeless, he said. “The fire started at 4:40 pm (1040 GMT) and was brought under control at around 6:30 pm,” he told AFP.
Abdur Rashid, 22, said the fire was so big that he ran for safety as his house and furniture were engulfed by the blaze.
“Everything in my house was burnt. My baby and wife were out. There were a lot of things in the house,” he said.
“I saved 30,000 taka (350 dollars) from working as a day labourer The money was burnt in the fire.
“I am now under open sky. I lost my dream.”
In March last year, 15 people died and about 50,000 were left homeless in Bangladesh after a huge fire destroyed Rohingya homes in the world’s biggest refugee settlement.
Mohammad Yasin, 29, bemoaned the lack of fire safety equipment in the camps.
“Fire occurs here frequently. There was no way we could put out the fire. There was no water. My home is burnt. Many documents, which I brought from Myanmar, are also burnt. And it is cold here,” he said.
Bangladesh has been praised for taking in refugees who poured across the border from Myanmar, but has had little success finding them permanent homes.
Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here.
Note: This article have been indexed to our site. We do not claim legitimacy, ownership or copyright of any of the content above. To see the article at original source Click Here
Fruit of the Loom Men's Eversoft Cotton Stay Tucked Crew T-Shirt
$18.48 (as of June 25, 2024 21:04 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
200Pcs Pop Country Singer Sticker for Adult,Waterproof Vinyl Stickers for Water Bottles Laptop Phone, Rock Band Stickers for Teens, Girls, Fans, Music Albums Stickers Decoration
$9.99 (as of June 25, 2024 21:05 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Super Mario Bros.™ Wonder - Nintendo Switch (US Version)
$43.97 (as of June 24, 2024 21:06 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Nippies Nipple Cover - Sticky Adhesive Silicone Nipple Pasties - Reusable Pasty Nipple Covers for Women with Travel…
$26.50 (as of June 25, 2024 21:04 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
