Large fire devastates Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh

DHAKA, Bangladesh

A devastating fire broke out early Thursday in a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh's southern district of Cox's Bazar, burning down at least 400 shanties, according to official sources.

"We have primarily assessed that more than 400 tents have been damaged," Bangladesh Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Mahbub Alam Talukdar told Anadolu Agency.

"We have shifted the Rohingya victims to another place and are providing them with food and other services," Talukdar added.

He also assured the damaged tents would be replaced within the shortest possible time.

No deaths have been reported, he said, adding some refugees were slightly injured.

“We are investigating to determine the cause of the fire," Cox's Bazar Fire Service official Mohammad Abdullah told Anadolu Agency.

Meanwhile, some unverified sources in the camp said more than 500 tents had been damaged and dozens of Rohingya refugees injured.

In May last year, another big fire damaged more than 400 tents at the Kutupalang refugee camp in Cox's Bazar.

Several minor fire incidents have also been reported at Rohingya refugee camps in the past year.