Seven-member probe body formed over fire at Rohingya camps

Staff Reporter :
Following the devastating fire incident in Rohingya camps, a seven-member investigation committee has been formed to determine the actual cause of the fire in the camps of Balukhali, Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar.
Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of Cox’s Bazar Md Abu Sufian has been appointed the head of the committee by the Cox’s Bazar District Administration on Monday.
The committee will also have representatives from Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC), Armed Police Battalion (APBn), local police, district police, and fire service and civil defense.
The probe body will look into whether there was any sabotage behind the fire incident and submit the report within three working days.
The RRRC and UNHCR on Monday reported the fire incident left some 12,000 refugees displaced when there were 32,200 population in Camp-11 and over 2,000 shelters destroyed or damaged.
Apart from gutting the shelters for the Rohingyas, the blaze also damaged over 90 facilities including hospitals and learning centres.
A large number of Rohingyas including women and children are now living under the open sky until they are getting new shelters to reside.
After the fire, many of them were looking for their belongings under the ashes, while many of them had taken shelter under the makeshift tarpaulin. Even they don’t have additional clothes to wear.
Monoara Begum, a Rohingya woman, said, “The fire has engulfed all things before my eyes. We did not eat since morning. We have shortage of food and water. The women and children are suffering more.”
After visiting the site, the In-Charge of Ukhia Balukhali Camp Sarwar Kamal told the media, “More than 2,000 shanties were gutted. Some of the Rohingyas were missing since the fire. We have found them.”
“The displaced Rohingyas are being provided with water and food. Right now the Rohingyas need more humanitarian assistance. We are also making arrangements for bamboos, tarpaulin for their quick shelter,” he said.
Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Shahin Imran said, “We have formed a seven-member probe body to investigate the fire incident. The committee will submit report within three days.”
Following the fire incident, the law enforcers arrested an adolescent on the day of the fire incident in suspicion of setting fire to the camps.
RRRC’s Mizanur Rahman said, “We cannot ignore the fire incident. The investigation team will find out the actual cause of the fire. It would also see whether it was sabotage. An adolescent has already been arrested in this connection.”
He further said the affected Rohingyas would be given shelters as soon as possible.
Though the massive fire engulfed the Rohingya shelters, there was no incident of missing or casualty in the fire.
To alleviate the sufferings of the Rohingyas, five medical teams are providing services to the fire affected Rohingyas, IOM Communication Officer Tarek Mahmud said.
Similar fire incident occurred in the same Balukhali and adjacent three camps on March 22 in 2021, leaving 10,000 shanties gutted and rendered 40,000 Rohingyas shelterless and 15 Rohingysa were killed.
A committee was then formed to investigate the fire incident. The committee submitted 13-point recommendations, but the Rohingya leaders alleged that many of the recommendations were not implemented.
Meanwhile, UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh, Sheldon Yett on Monday expressed deepest sympathies for the fire affected Rohingyas.
“Our deepest sympathies go out to the 12,000 Rohingya refugees -half of them children – who lost their shelter homes in the fire that broke out in the Cox’s Bazar refugee camps yesterday. We commend the brave work of front-line responders who have brought the fire under control,” he said.
“We are thankful that no casualties have been reported. 6,000 children are in urgent need of emergency support. UNICEF and our partners have worked through the night to protect and support traumatized children and their families,” he said.
“UNICEF’s next priority is to repair and rebuild these facilities so that children can continue their education and will receive essential healthcare, nutrition and sanitation services,” he said.