A devastating fire in the world’s largest refugee camp has left at least 12,000 Rohingya homeless, prompting fears that more of the community will attempt to flee Bangladesh by the perilous sea route.
On Sunday afternoon, a blaze started in one of 32 refugee camps in the town of Cox’s Bazar in south-eastern Bangladesh, quickly spreading through the bamboo and tarpaulin shelters used by its inhabitants.
While no deaths were reported at Camp 11, when the impoverished Rohingya returned to where their former makeshift homes had stood there was nothing but charred remains.
“I lost my shelter, my rations and all the documents I brought with me from Myanmar in the fire,” said Mohammed Haras, 33.
“Apart from my own children, we could not take anything with us from our shelter. We had to run to escape from the fire and my children are traumatised from facing these tragedies.”
Rohingya leaders speculated the blaze could have been started by organised criminal gangs operating in the lawless camps in an attempt to gain control over rival groups.
One person has allegedly been arrested by Bangladeshi authorities in connection with the incident.
Fires a common occurrence
Between January 2021 and December 2022, there were 222 reported fires within the camps in Cox’s Bazar and at least 60 of these were thought to have been arson attacks.
“The fire was not accidental but intentional,” said Mohammed Rezuwan Khan, a Rohingya activist in Cox’s Bazar, of the latest blaze.
“Overall, the situation here is getting much worse. So, most refugees are afraid of further arson attacks in different areas of the camp by the gangs.”
There are at least 1.2 million Rohingya living in Cox’s Bazar after fleeing military-led persecution in neighbouring Myanmar, where their community had lived for generations.
Conditions in Myanmar have worsened since a military takeover in 2021 and attempts to send back the refugees have failed.
In 2021, the US said the oppression of Rohingya in Myanmar amounted to genocide after authorities confirmed accounts of mass atrocities against civilians by the military in a systematic campaign against the ethnic minority.
The UNHCR said it would launch its Rohingya response plan for this year on Tuesday.
Bangladesh has long made it clear that it does not intend to house the Rohingya permanently and that position has hardened in recent months as Dhaka endures economic turbulence.
For many people it is better to flee this camp than to stay here
Mohammed Rezuwan Khan,
Rohingya activist
As a result, Bangladesh has cracked down on the Rohingya’s living conditions in the refugee camps, while aid agencies, including the World Food Programme, announced they were slashing food aid due to funding cuts.
Dhaka has already bulldozed Rohingya-run shops, closed hundreds of unofficial schools and limited movement, causing a surge in preventable deaths, particularly among pregnant women and those who had contracted water-borne disease.
“The consequences of the fire will be catastrophic for the Rohingya families living in Cox’s Bazar refugee camps, thousands of whom will now be forced to sleep under open skies, with no access to food, water or formal health support,” warned Adnan Junaid, Asia regional director at the International Rescue Committee.
Most concerningly, the camps have become lawless organised crime hubs — international drug smugglers, armed groups from Myanmar and human traffickers all operate freely.
Desperate journeys by boat on the increase
In January, Human Rights Watch warned that the living conditions for Rohingya in Cox’s Bazar were “impossible” and warned more people would attempt to flee Bangladesh.
Last year, more than 3,500 Rohingya attempted to reach South-east Asian countries by boat — Malaysia has, historically, allowed some Rohingya to settle in the country and work — and at least 350 people died en route.
This was a 360 per cent increase from 2021 in the number of Rohingya attempting to make the deadly crossing, usually on old fishing boats that are barely seaworthy, through the Bay of Bengal.
One boat with 180 Rohingya on board is thought to have sunk in December, while another vessel came ashore on the Indonesian island of Aceh with those on board reporting that more than 20 people had died during the journey from dehydration.
Rohingya community leaders, such as Mr Rezuwan Khan, fear that the rapid deterioration of their living standards in Cox’s Bazar and the increasing threat posed by organised crime will encourage more people to take to the sea.
“The sounds of bullets and the sights of flames mean the Rohingya don’t sleep at night," he said. "For many people it is better to flee this camp than to stay here.
“The sea is the one and only way for refugees to flee and so people will go wherever they can to try to save their life, despite the risks involved.”
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Marital status: Single
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
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Community Shield info
Where, when and at what time Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday at 5pm (UAE time)
Arsenal line up (3-4-2-1) Petr Cech; Rob Holding, Per Mertesacker, Nacho Monreal; Hector Bellerin, Mohamed Elneny, Granit Xhaka, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain; Alex Iwobi, Danny Welbeck; Alexandre Lacazette
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger
Chelsea line up (3-4-2-1) Thibaut Courtois; Cesar Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Gary Cahill; Victor Moses, Cesc Fabregas, N'Golo Kante, Marcos Alonso; Willian, Pedro; Michy Batshuayi
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte
Referee Bobby Madley
RESULTS
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,200
Winner: Miqyaas, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Rashed Bouresly (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
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7.40pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Shanty Star, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.
8.15pm: Handicap Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Alkaamel, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
8.50pm: Handicap Dh175,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Speedy Move, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
9.25pm: Handicap Dh175,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Quartier Francois, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
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Super Saturday race card
4pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 | US$350,000 | (Dirt) | 1,200m
4.35pm: Al Bastakiya Listed | $300,000 | (D) | 1,900m
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 | $350,000 | (Turf) | 1,200m
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 | $350,000 | (D) | 1,600m
6.20pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 | $300,000 | (T) | 2,410m
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Group 1 | $600,000 | (D) | 2,000m
7.30pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 | $400,000 | (T) | 1,800m
Three-day coronation
Royal purification
The entire coronation ceremony extends over three days from May 4-6, but Saturday is the one to watch. At the time of 10:09am the royal purification ceremony begins. Wearing a white robe, the king will enter a pavilion at the Grand Palace, where he will be doused in sacred water from five rivers and four ponds in Thailand. In the distant past water was collected from specific rivers in India, reflecting the influential blend of Hindu and Buddhist cosmology on the coronation. Hindu Brahmins and the country's most senior Buddhist monks will be present. Coronation practices can be traced back thousands of years to ancient India.
The crown
Not long after royal purification rites, the king proceeds to the Baisal Daksin Throne Hall where he receives sacred water from eight directions. Symbolically that means he has received legitimacy from all directions of the kingdom. He ascends the Bhadrapitha Throne, where in regal robes he sits under a Nine-Tiered Umbrella of State. Brahmins will hand the monarch the royal regalia, including a wooden sceptre inlaid with gold, a precious stone-encrusted sword believed to have been found in a lake in northern Cambodia, slippers, and a whisk made from yak's hair.
The Great Crown of Victory is the centrepiece. Tiered, gold and weighing 7.3 kilograms, it has a diamond from India at the top. Vajiralongkorn will personally place the crown on his own head and then issues his first royal command.
The audience
On Saturday afternoon, the newly-crowned king is set to grant a "grand audience" to members of the royal family, the privy council, the cabinet and senior officials. Two hours later the king will visit the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the most sacred space in Thailand, which on normal days is thronged with tourists. He then symbolically moves into the Royal Residence.
The procession
The main element of Sunday's ceremonies, streets across Bangkok's historic heart have been blocked off in preparation for this moment. The king will sit on a royal palanquin carried by soldiers dressed in colourful traditional garb. A 21-gun salute will start the procession. Some 200,000 people are expected to line the seven-kilometre route around the city.
Meet the people
On the last day of the ceremony Rama X will appear on the balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace at 4:30pm "to receive the good wishes of the people". An hour later, diplomats will be given an audience at the Grand Palace. This is the only time during the ceremony that representatives of foreign governments will greet the king.
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
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Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
Price, as tested: Dh84,000
Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: Six-speed auto
Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
More on Quran memorisation:
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The biog
Hobbies: Salsa dancing “It's in my blood” and listening to music in different languages
Favourite place to travel to: “Thailand, as it's gorgeous, food is delicious, their massages are to die for!”
Favourite food: “I'm a vegetarian, so I can't get enough of salad.”
Favourite film: “I love watching documentaries, and am fascinated by nature, animals, human anatomy. I love watching to learn!”
Best spot in the UAE: “I fell in love with Fujairah and anywhere outside the big cities, where I can get some peace and get a break from the busy lifestyle”
