Fire at Rohingya camp: Probe body starts work to identify cause
NEWS DESK
A seven-member committee today (March 6) started work to identify the cause of yesterday’s fire at Balukhali Rohingya camp in Ukhiya upazila of Cox’s Bazar.
Additional District Magistrate of Cox’s Bazar Abu Sufian, who is leading the committee, told The Daily Star that the probe body consists of representatives from Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner’s office, fire service, APBn, police and other agencies concerned.
The committee will have to submit the investigation report in the next three days.
Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Mohammad Mizanur Rahman said 12,000 Rohingyas have been affected as 2,000 houses were gutted in the fire. The rehabilitation work has started since morning, he said.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) will build temporary homes for the homeless Rohingyas while the United Nations agency WFP is providing emergency food assistance.
Five medical teams are providing services to the Rohingyas at the site of the fire, where 90 community health workers are also working.
Representatives of various agencies, including the district administration, police and APBN visited the spot in the morning.
Rohingyas claimed that yesterday’s fire incident at the camp was an act of sabotage.
Additional Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Mohammad Shamsuddouza said details would be available after the committee investigates the matter.
A mosque, primary healthcare centers, one help post, one youth center, one women-friendly center, one education center, one child-friendly center and one mental health center are among the damaged infrastructures, he said.
