A large fire broke out on March 22, 2021 at the Rohingya refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar in southeastern Bangladesh. Packed with simple houses made of bamboo and vinyl sheets, the fire spread quickly across the camp, reducing it to a field of ashes. Camps 8E and 8W – with roughly 20,000 people, 5,000 houses, and 500 sanitary facilities – and neighboring villages burned down.

A-PAD Bangladesh began our assistance activities immediately after the disaster and distributed emergency relief supplies at Camp 8E and 8W. A brief summary of our activities:

・ Emergency shelter materials for 120 households

・ Dietary supplements for 120 households

・ Non-food items (daily necessities) for 120 households

The Bangladeshi government implemented lockdown measures in the camp to combat COVID-19, and A-PAD Bangladesh cooperated with the local government and camp management to provide assistance. Supplies were distributed at multiple, designated locations while maintaining sufficient social distancing to reduce the risk of infection.

In addition, A-PAD Bangladesh conducted training on how to respond in the event of a fire and how to ensure the safety of those affected by the disaster.