On March 22, 2021, a massive fire broke out in the Kutupalong refugee camp in the Cox’s Bazar District, Bangladesh, burning down more than 10,000 shelters and destroying the Organization for Migration’s largest 24/7 health center in the region. While the black smoke lingered in the atmosphere for days, the fire is now over, but its destructive force has irreparably damaged the entire camp and forced its inhabitants to flee.
The Kutupalong refugee camp, built at the beginning of the ’90s, is today widely known for hosting most of the Rohingya refugees who escaped from Myanmar. As of February 2021, the camp has become a home for over 650,000 people – corresponding approximately to more than 180,000 families –, thus turning into the world’s largest refugee settlement. According to the last statistics, the mass human exodus to the Kutupalong refugee camp and the neighboring Nayapara refugee camp has made the area dramatically overcrowded, leaving only 10.7 square meters per person.
Even before the fire, life in the Kutupalong refugee camp has never been easy. Despite the presence of many humanitarian organizations, refugees’ living conditions have always been precarious. The large-scale arrival of people has often led to severe water shortages and poor sanitary and hygienic conditions, causing the spread of various diseases. Similarly, food has not always been available for everyone, making refugees lacking essential components of a balanced diet.
Despite everything, over time, the camp has proven to be an essential source of safety for many individuals. While due to the fire, at least 15 people have lost their lives, about 600 refugees have been injured, and over 400 inhabitants have been listed as missing, the Kutupalong refugee camp still remains a safe harbor for thousands of men and women escaping from violence and persecution. Governments, foundations, and individuals cannot turn their backs on them.
By Simone M. Russo