Charred hopes: The crisis of fires in the Rohingya refugee camps

On January 7, just after midnight, my entire family was abruptly awakened by our Imam’s warnings of a fire, called out from the mosque’s loudspeaker. Alarmed, we rushed outside. Massive flames lit up the night sky in the Bangladesh refugee camps, as if dawn was breaking. The fire was in nearby Camp-5, the Imam said. “Be ready to flee,” he announced, as the blaze made its way closer to us. We spent the rest of the night awake, feeling exhausted and helpless. In the morning, I visited the affected area and saw that the destruction stretched for kilometres. The United Nations (UN) estimated that the fire destroyed nearly 900 shelters and countless other public amenities, including schools, mosques, and healthcare facilities. More than 800 families were displaced in the disaster. As a community, we have been here before. Every winter dry season, fires plague different camps, but this year’s disaster was the worst in my memory. More than six years after we escaped genocidal violence in Myanmar, the fire is a reminder that living conditions in the refugee camps we now call home remain fraught and volatile. My family and I came to Bangladesh in 2017, anticipating a short stay. We thought the violence would ease and—with the support of the international community—we could return home after some months. We built makeshift shelters that were supposed to be only temporary homes. We used bamboo sticks and plastic sheeting and could not afford, nor thought we needed, permanent fire-resistant materials. In the camps, humanitarian agencies are only permitted the use of makeshift construction materials, an official policy designed to discourage refugees from long-term stay. But, as a result, most of the camp is made of highly flammable materials that could combust at the slightest spark. Three newly arrived Rohingya refugees try to swim to shore in Indonesia’s Pineung, Aceh province on November 16, 2023 after the nearby community gave them water and food but did not allow their boat to land ( Amanda Jufrian / AFP) Since 2017, the camps have grown in size and density. My family, for example, came in 2017 as a family of five, but we have since grown to 10 members. Together with my older brothers, who are now married with children, we share a small space that measures only two by two metres. To make matters worse, camp boundaries have been fenced since September 2019 to prevent further expansion and stop the free movement of refugees. New shelters were constructed on leftover land inside the periphery, contributing to the establishment of a tightly packed refugee camp where fires can spread quickly and consume lives with very little warning. As we rebuild from the recent devastating fires, the Bangladeshi government can play a pivotal role in supporting the construction of new shelters with durable, fire-resistant materials. Additionally, proactive measures must be taken to relieve the congestion within the camps to allow more natural fire breaks. A Bangladeshi government investigation revealed that fewer than half the fires in the camps in 2021 and 2022 were due to natural causes, and supposed that arson was behind many of the blazes. In recent years, there has been increased violence in the camps between competing armed groups vying for control and power. Their methods of intimidation increasingly include arson, abductions, murder, and sexual violence. The deliberate destruction of our shelters is a cruel and indiscriminate act that adds to the losses we have already suffered for many years. Preventing future fires and ensuring community security requires bold action. To deter criminality, the Bangladesh authorities, together with the responsible UN agencies, must take reports made by refugees seriously and investigate cases impartially. This includes holding perpetrators accountable. Authorities must also take immediate measures to improve nighttime security when it is dark and criminal activities are rampant. Rebuilding our lives Rohingya men and boys in a refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, acknowledge the sixth anniversary of the Myanmar military’s 2017 genocidal violence against their community (Myanmar Now) We Rohingya are a resilient community. We have rebuilt our lives in the wake of atrocities. The massive fire that greeted us in the new year will be no different. We will rebuild. However, this will be an uphill task. Apathy towards the plight of the Rohingya amongst the international community has increased. Funding cuts by donor governments to humanitarian agencies are affecting food rations, sanitation, healthcare, and many other necessities that are key to sustaining life in the camps. Moreover, restrictions on livelihoods imposed by the host authorities on refugees have left us dependent on an ever-shrinking pool of aid. It is likely that after the fires, many affected young people will risk travelling to Malaysia, Indonesia, and other countries through dangerous sea routes operated by human traffickers. There, they hope to access better opportunities and find work. But more likely, they will find themselves trafficked into bondage or else perish at sea. The Bangladesh government, which has extended its kind hospitality and compassion to many of us in the past, must continue to address the challenges of the camps, especially the persistent threat of fire. The Rohingya community must also be granted rights, including access to livelihoods and freedom of movement to make a living – this would not only make our existence more sustainable but also go a long way to restoring our dignity and bolstering our resilience. Kyaw Min Tun is a Rohingya youth born and raised in Myanmar. He fled to Bangladesh to escape the latest wave of military genocide that began on August 25, 2017. He is currently a humanitarian worker and human rights defender.

Charred hopes: The crisis of fires in the Rohingya refugee camps

Preventing future fires and ensuring community security requires bold action by the Bangladesh authorities and the responsible UN agencies, a Rohingya humanitarian worker and activist writes

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