Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are facing reduced food assistance, sparking alarm over increased hunger and desperate measures as funding shortages impact their survival.
Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees living in overcrowded camps in Bangladesh are facing a significant reduction in food assistance starting Wednesday, a move that has sparked widespread alarm and desperation within the community. The Rohingya, a persecuted minority who fled brutal attacks by Myanmar's military in 2017, are largely reliant on humanitarian aid for survival as they are legally barred from working in Bangladesh.
The new tiered system implemented by the United Nations' World Food Program (WFP) will see the monthly amount each person receives vary based on their family's needs, with a substantial portion of the population receiving significantly less. The current allowance of US$12 (S$15) per person per month, already considered insufficient by many, will be slashed for a significant number of individuals, leaving them struggling to meet their basic needs and raising concerns about severe hunger and potential loss of life. Many Rohingya refugees are now grappling with the harsh reality of reduced food assistance. Mohammed Rahim, a camp resident with three children, expressed deep concern over how he and his family will survive with the decreased amount. His family, like many others, were already finding it difficult to provide adequate food before the reduction. The WFP maintains that even with the differentiated ration sizes, all Rohingya will continue to meet their minimum food needs, adhering to the recommended minimum standard for emergency food aid of 2,100 calories a day. The agency emphasizes fairness, transparency, and equity in its food assistance plan. However, the practical implications for the refugees are dire. The reduction in food assistance is further exacerbating the existing vulnerabilities within the camps, where desperation is already high due to lack of employment opportunities and other challenges. The US and other countries' cuts in foreign aid have contributed to the crisis, affecting programs that support the Rohingya. Bangladesh's Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Mohammad Mizanur Rahman acknowledges the impact of these changes. In the past year, the foreign aid cuts have deepened misery across the camps, affecting children in particular, with the closure of schools. The consequences are alarming: increased rates of kidnapping, child marriage, and child labour. Programs supporting the Rohingya were significantly underfunded in 2025 and are facing even greater funding shortages this year. By November of that year, 90 percent of camp residents could not afford an adequate diet, and 15 percent of children were suffering from acute malnutrition, the highest rate ever recorded in the camps. The new system is pushing people toward life-threatening risks. Camp residents, faced with the prospect of starvation, are considering desperate measures. Rahim says that several of his acquaintances are considering returning to Myanmar, despite the severe dangers they would face there. Others are contemplating the perilous journey to Malaysia on rickety fishing boats, a route that tragically claims the lives of many Rohingya each year. Dozens of Rohingya staged protests, calling for the restoration of full rations, highlighting the urgent need for adequate food assistance to prevent further suffering and protect the vulnerable population from potential harm. The situation requires immediate attention and resources to avert a humanitarian crisis
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