Two separate fire incidents within a night have struck Rohingya refugee camps in Ukhiya upazila of Cox’s Bazar, destroying a key health centre and several residential shelters.
Early Friday morning, a fire broke out at a health centre in Block D of Camp 4, Madhurchhara, Rajapalong Union.
By around 5am, the fire had spread across the facility. With combined efforts from the Fire Service and local residents, the blaze was brought under control by 7:30am.
No casualties have been reported, but the health centre was destroyed, including medical equipment and essential infrastructure.
The facility, locally known as the “Malaysia Hospital,” was established in 2017 by the charitable organisation Obat Helpers USA as the Obat Health Post to provide medical care for Rohingya displaced from Myanmar. It was later run with support from the camp administration and funding from Human International USA.
Mahmudul Hasan Siddiqui Rashed, health coordinator for Obat Helpers Bangladesh, said the centre was destroyed and the exact cause of the fire is still unknown.
He added that the centre had provided free medical care to Rohingya and local residents.
Refugees expressed deep concern over the loss of the facility.
Camp resident Mohammad Rafik said: “It was one of our main sources of medical care.”
Preliminary estimates suggest the damages could exceed several crores of taka.
Dollar Tripura, station officer of Ukhiya Fire Service, said a unit worked to extinguish the fire, and the cause will be determined after investigation.
Separately, on Thursday night around 10pm, another fire in Block B of Kutupalong Registered Rohingya Camp destroyed at least five residential shelters.
