A devastating fire tore through Rohingya Camp No. 16 in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, in the early hours of Tuesday, reducing hundreds of shelters to ashes and destroying key educational and religious facilities.

The blaze erupted today at around 3:45am in the D-4 block of the camp, located in the Shafiullah Kata area of Palongkhali Union. According to preliminary accounts, a camp resident, Mohammad Anis, had heated water on a gas stove at approximately 2:45am and later fell asleep. The stove reportedly remained lit after the water dried up, sparking a fire that rapidly spread to nearby shelters.

As the incident occurred while most residents were asleep, the flames spread quickly through the densely packed camp, triggering widespread panic among refugees fleeing their homes in the darkness.

Two units from the Ukhiya Fire Service and Civil Defence rushed to the scene and began firefighting operations with the assistance of Rohingya volunteer teams. After nearly two hours of efforts, the fire was brought under control at around 5:30am.

Ukhiya Fire Service and Civil Defence Station Officer Dollar Tripura confirmed the incident, stating that firefighters responded promptly and managed to contain the blaze despite the challenging conditions inside the camp.

Community leaders reported extensive destruction. Mohammad Riaz, a community leader of Camp 16’s D block, said at least 448 shelters were completely destroyed, along with two mosques, ten learning centres and one madrasa. He added that the full extent of financial losses could not be determined immediately.

According to a report by Dhaka Tribune, local administration officials said an initial assessment is underway to determine the scale of damage and to coordinate emergency assistance for affected families, many of whom were left without shelter or basic belongings.

Ukhiya Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Rifat Asma also confirmed the fire, noting that a significant number of shelters and structures were damaged and that authorities are working with humanitarian agencies to assess losses and provide immediate support.

The latest incident adds to a series of recent fires in the Rohingya camps. On December 26 last year, a major blaze in Camp No. 4 destroyed a hospital, while another fire the previous night damaged more than ten houses at the Kutupalong registered camp, once again highlighting the persistent fire risks in the overcrowded settlements.

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