A massive fire ripped through a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh’s southern district of Cox’s Bazar on Sunday, leaving around 12,000 people homeless, local Superintendent of Police Mohammad Mahfuzul Islam told CNN.
Meanwhile, DW News said the fire was reported to have broken out in the Balukhali camp in the early afternoon. Fire service official Emdadul Haque said there were no immediate casualties.
The UNHCR in Bangladesh wrote in a tweet that volunteers from the camp were tackling the fire. The agency also said it was giving support.
“We currently don’t have an estimate for damages but there are no reports of casualties,” police superintendent at Cox’s Bazar Rafiqul Islam told Reuters. He added that the blaze had been brought under control and that officials from fire, police and refugee relief departments were all on the scene.
“Some 2,000 shelters have been burnt, leaving about 12,000 forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals shelterless,” Mijanur Rahman, Bangladesh’s refugee commissioner, told AFP, adding that 35 mosques and 21 learning centers were among the destroyed buildings.
The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) has announced a 12-hour water cut from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Sunday (May 25) in several areas, including Colombo, due to essential maintenance work at the Ambatale Water Treatment Plant.
Due to this, the public is urged to make prior arrangements and store an adequate supply of water to avoid inconvenience during the period of the suspension.
Accordingly, the water cut will affect the following areas:
The Ministry of Public Security states that investigations are underway to arrest 20 members of major organized crime gangs currently hiding overseas.
Minister Ananda Wijepala stated that Interpol has already issued red notices for their arrest and that the countries where these criminals are hiding have been identified.
He added that investigations into the group have been expanded in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Since the new government came to power, 11 members of organized crime gangs hiding abroad have been brought back to the island and produced before courts.
Meanwhile, operations to arrest members of organized crime gangs involved in various criminal activities, including murder and drug trafficking, within the country are also ongoing.
The Minister added that the Police Special Task Force and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) are jointly conducting investigations into the allegations against them.
Former Minister and Anuradhapura District Organiser of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) – Duminda Dissanayake, has been arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation into the discovery of a gold-colored T-56 assault rifle at a luxury apartment complex in Havelock Town, Wellawatte.
The firearm, found earlier this week, led to the arrest of 03 suspects, based on information revealed during interrogations conducted in connection with the incident.