A huge fire swept through a Rohingya refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar this week, burning hundreds of shelters and leaving more than 2,000 people displaced, prompting aid agencies Thursday to urge greater funding for safer housing and emergency assistance.
The fire broke out in the early morning hours of Tuesday in Camp 16, one of more than 30 camps in the Cox's Bazar district that make up the world's largest refugee center, housing more than 1 million Rohingya who have fled persecution in neighboring Myanmar.
The United Nations' International Organization for Migration said it had created a new crisis for families already struggling to survive.
"When fires strike in overcrowded camp settings, the impact extends far beyond damaged infrastructure,” said Lance Bonneau, IOM Chief of Mission in Bangladesh, in a statement. "Families lose shelter, essential belongings, and access to basic services, increasing immediate protection risks."
It took firefighters about three hours to bring the blaze under control. While there were no fatalities and only a handful of minor injuries, many people lost not only their homes but also all their possessions, including identity documents and other important papers, the Norwegian Refugee Council told The Associated Press on Thursday.
