Environmental and Human Health Consequences of the Fire Incidents in Rohingya Refugee Camps, Cox’s Bazar Bangladesh

Abstract

Background: Around the world, at least 89.3 million people have been forced to leave their homes, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency. Of these, almost 27 million live in refugee camps. The Bangladesh region of Cox's Bazar, which is the world's biggest and most congested refugee camp, has about 980,000 inhabitants. Understanding fire occurrences, which are becoming increasingly common in refugee camps, is crucial. Since Rohingya refugees arrived in Bangladesh due to the genocide in 2017, there have many fire incidents been recorded to date either intentional or accidental. Fire safety is, however, far from a priority because fire accidents in refugee camps, like those in informal settlements (IS), are typically not investigated. Overcrowded and unsanitary settlements have always been subject to fires. Aim: This study aims to figure out the root causes and effects of devastating fire accidents in Rohingya Refugee Camp, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Methods: A cross-sectional study is conducted among the Rohingya community who have been affected by fire accidents by using a simple random sampling method with 50 in-depth interviews to obtain qualitative data. Results: The majority of participants responded that the massive fire incidents that occur frequently in camps are intentional (arson) whereas some of the small fires are accidental due to carelessness and congestion, which overall harm this community. Most of the respondents also reported that they are living in fear of such terrible incidents which eventually traumatize them psychologically and at the same time, leave them with only ashes. Conclusion: The increased number of fires suggests that fire safety in Rohingya refugee settlements needs to be a top priority.