Fire blazes through crowded Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh
Al JazeeraDec 23, 2022
Bangladesh: Fire Destroys Rohingya Camp, Leaving 12K Homeless
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Image copyright: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images [via CNN]
The Facts
On Sunday, a large fire ripped through a Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, destroying at least 2K shelters and leaving as many as 12K refugees without housing. As of Sunday, the cause of the fire was unknown and no casualties were reported.
The UN refugee agency stated that 90 community facilities, including hospitals and learning centers, were also destroyed, while local Superintendent of Police Mohammad Mahfuzul Islam said that those affected would be sheltered temporarily in community centers and mosques.
The Spin
Narrative A
The suffering of the Rohingya people is indescribable. The accommodations and conditions of the camp have been appalling and now the fire has destroyed countless homes and businesses, leaving people to face homelessness and uncertainty. Life can only improve in the camp if recovery includes homes made of more substantial and sturdy materials like steel and brick.
Narrative B
Following the five-year mark of refugees inhabiting Bangladesh, the government is coercing the refugees to return home. The National League for Democracy-led government and the Myanmar State Administrative Council have failed to secure a safe and humane environment in the Rakhine state. The Rohingya people want nothing more than to leave the barbed wire subpar encampments and return home but there are no safe options to do so.
Narrative C
This tragedy was about to happen — and that was exactly why Bangladesh was urgently asking for help from all relevant stakeholders to achieve a lasting solution to the Rohingya crisis. Bangladesh is a small, highly populated country that faces already several other challenges, so the continued presence of more than 1M displaced people is neither reasonable nor sustainable.
