Fire Kills 10 at Cox's Bazar Beach Resort That Had No Fire Licence

Ten people were killed and six were injured when a fire tore through a beach resort in Cox's Bazar, in southeastern Bangladesh, on Saturday morning. The fire broke out at about 7 a.m. at Tuptup Resto and Resort in Inani, in the Patuartek beach area along Marine Drive, near the Bay of Bengal. The Associated Press reported that the blaze spread quickly through the wooden resort and that children were among the dead.

Nearly 30 people were staying at the resort when the fire started, The Business Standard reported. Only four or five managed to escape on their own. Fire Service official Dolan Acharya confirmed that ten bodies had been recovered. Syed Morshed Hossain, deputy assistant director of the Cox's Bazar Fire Service, said four more bodies were recovered at about 1:50 p.m., and three of them had yet to be identified. CID Special Superintendent of Police Abul Kalam Azad said some people might still be trapped inside a room, and the toll could rise.

Seven of the dead identified

Officials named seven of the dead: Israt Jahan Maliha, 30, and Milita Mehejabin Alvi, 23, of Banasree in Dhaka; Laila Jahan Nabila, 27, and Nafista Mim, 27, of Khilgaon in Dhaka; Fariha Kabi, 33, and Faizan Ahmed, 5, of Chuadanga; and Nasrin Akter Mukta, 28, of Ashulia. Prothom Alo reported that six members of one family were among the dead. Ashiqul Islam survived after jumping from the second floor. His wife, Israt Jahan Maliha, and her younger sister, Laila Jahan Nabila, were both killed.

The six injured were taken to Cox's Bazar 250-Bed District Sadar Hospital. They were named as Shihab Uddin, 31, a physician at Mugda Medical College Hospital, his wife Nafiza Newaz Khan, 29, and Mannan, 34, Meherunnesa, 30, Masud, 30, and Samida, 32. Resident medical officer Sabuqtagin Mahmud Sohel said five had burns on about 5 percent of their bodies and were admitted. The sixth person was hurt in a fall and was discharged after first aid.

Warned in June, still open

The Fire Service was told about the fire at about 7:30 a.m. The nearest fire station was 22 kilometres away. Three units reached the scene at about 8 a.m., brought the fire under control by about 10 a.m. and put it out at about 11 a.m. Local residents, police, Coast Guard and Border Guard Bangladesh personnel helped with the rescue.

Fire Service and Civil Defence Director General Brigadier General Sultanul Afreen Zunaid said the resort had no fire safety licence. Inspectors visited in June 2026, warned the owners about fire risks and issued a notice, but the resort kept operating. It had a restaurant on the ground floor and tourist rooms on the upper floors. Zunaid said a full investigation was needed to find the cause, and a five-member probe committee has been formed. Police detained the resort manager, Mohammad Suman. Ukhiya Police Station chief Atikur Rahman Majumder confirmed the detention at about 4:30 p.m.

Not the first resort fire

Cox's Bazar has seen resort fires before. On Jan 15, 2025, a fire on Saint Martin's Island damaged three resorts and destroyed one of them. On May 22, 2026, a fire at Pacific Beach Lounge Eco Resort destroyed three cottages and a storeroom. Zunaid said many resorts built with flammable materials had not obtained the required permissions, and he warned that the risk could grow in the coming dry season.