United News of Bangladesh

A devastating fire destroyed several hundred shelters, several educational and religious institutions at Rohingya Camp-16 in Ukhiya upazila early Tuesday. Fire service source said blaze might have originated from a gas stove left unattended while heating water late around 4 am at Block D-4 of Camp-16 in Shafullah Kata area of Palongkhali Union. Fire Service and Civil Defence units from Ukhiya rushed to the scene and brought the blaze under control after nearly one and a half hours with the help of Rohingya volunteers. The fire was finally doused around 5:30 am. Head Majhi of Block D at Camp-16 Mohammad Riaz at least 448 shelters were completely gutted in the fire. Two mosques, 10 schools and one madrasa were also destroyed, leaving several thousand Rohingya refugees homeless, he said. No casualties were reported in the incident. Ukhiya Fire Service Station Officer Dollar Tripura said the prompt response prevented the fire from spreading to nearby blocks. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rifat Asma said preparations are underway to compile a list of affected families and assess the extent of damage. Fire breaks out in moving ambulance on Mawa Expressway Emergency humanitarian assistance is also being arranged for the victims, he said. On December 26, a hospital at Camp-4 was damaged in a fire, while several shelters were also gutted at Kutupalong camp on December 25.

A massive fire broke out at a jhut warehouse in Dewaliabari area of Konabari in Gazipur on Thursday afternoon (January 08, 2026). The fire originated around 4:15 pm, and six units of the Fire Service are working to bring the blaze under control, said Saiful Islam, warehouse inspector of Konabari Modern Fire Station. Read more: Lalbagh factory fire under control He said two more units were on their way to the spot to assist in firefighting efforts. There are several godowns in the area and the fire has spread to all of them, he added.

Thousands of residents in the capital’s Korail slum are struggling to come to terms with the aftermath of Tuesday’s devastating fire that reduced their homes and livelihoods to ashes.