Nearly 2,000 homes gutted in Rohingya camp, some blame ARSA

Almost 2,000 homes were burned as a fire tore through the Balukhali Rohingya camp No-11 in Palongkhali union of Ukhiya on Sunday, reports UNB.

The blaze began in a house of the camp around 3.00pm and soon spread through camps No- 9, 10 and 12, burning down nearly 2,000 houses, said additional refugee, relief and rehabilitation commissioner Md Samsuddouza.

On information, 10 units of the Fire Service rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control around 6.00pm, said Atish Chakma, deputy assistant director of Cox's Bazar fire service station.

The reasons for the mishap and the exact extent of the damage could not immediately be confirmed, he added.

"Apart from houses, the fire gutted 52 establishments including 35 mosques, various NGOs, schools, and health service centers and affected 22,000 people," Samsuddouza added.

Meanwhile, dry food was distributed among the Rohingya people, who lost their shelters and belongings in the devastating blaze, he said.

Fortunately, no casualties were reported.

Senior Assistant Superintendent of Armed Police Battalion (APBn) Farooq Ahmed said they have detained a suspected youth over the fire incident.

"Though it is not clear what caused the fire, details can be obtained after the interrogation of the youth," he added

Abul Kamal, Abdul Gafur and Shamsul Alam, residents of the affected camp, said that it was a planned sabotage by ARSA terrorists.

Deputy Commissioner of Cox's Bazar Muhammad Shaheen Imran said, "We are trying to find the exact cause behind the fire."

"A probe has been ordered to ascertain the amount of loss caused by the fire," he added.