Rohingya camp fire leaves 5000 homeless

Staff Reporter :
UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh, Sheldon Yett, has expressed his deepest sympathies for the Rohingya refugees, including children, for losing their homes in a fire that broke out on January 7.

“UNICEF offers its deepest sympathies to the 5,000 Rohingya refugees – including 3,500 children – who sadly lost their homes in the fire that broke out in Camp 5 of the Cox’s Bazar refugee camps on 7 January,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.

“While we are thankful that no deaths have been reported, at least 1,500 children lost access to education when 20 of their learning facilities were destroyed in the fire.

As we assess the full extent of the damage, UNICEF and partners will construct temporary tents to enable children to learn whilst classrooms are reconstructed,” the statement read.

“UNICEF and partners worked through the night to protect and support traumatised children and their families.

Let us remember, these children have already escaped violence and trauma.

So, there is an urgent imperative to work closely with local authorities, UN agencies and partners to provide the most vulnerable with shelter and respond to their basic needs so that all affected children are safe, healthy, and protected,” he said.

Around 1,000 makeshift shelters were gutted in a fire that broke on Saturday night in Ukhiya camp. No casualties were reported in the incident.

“While we are thankful that no deaths have been reported, at least 1,500 children lost access to education when 20 of their learning facilities were destroyed in the fire,” said Sheldon Yet, UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh.