The United Nations has announced a drastic cut in food rations for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, slashing the monthly allowance from $12.50 to just $6 per person due to severe funding shortages.
The reduction, set to take effect on April 1, 2025, has raised alarms among humanitarian organizations, warning of worsening malnutrition and a potential humanitarian crisis.
More than one million Rohingya refugees currently reside in the overcrowded camps of Cox’s Bazar, the world’s largest refugee settlement. The majority fled Myanmar in 2017 after a brutal military crackdown that the UN has described as a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing” and that many human rights organizations have labeled as genocide.
The refugees, who escaped mass killings, arson, and sexual violence, have remained stranded in Bangladesh for over seven years with little hope of returning home due to ongoing violence and political instability in Myanmar.
The World Food Programme (WFP) had already cut monthly rations multiple times over the past two years, reducing them from $12 per person in early 2023 to $10 in mid-2023 and then to $8 by the end of the year.
The latest reduction to $6 is expected to push many Rohingya families into extreme food insecurity. WFP officials have warned that anything below $6 per month is far below the minimum nutritional requirement to sustain human life.
For the Rohingya refugees, the food rations distributed by the WFP are their primary source of survival. The $12.50 allowance, already insufficient for a balanced diet, had allowed families to purchase rice, lentils, and a limited variety of vegetables.
However, at just $6 per month, refugees will struggle to afford even the most basic staples, leading to an increased risk of malnutrition, particularly among children, pregnant women, and the elderly.
“We are already struggling with the little food we get. If they cut it further, how will we survive?” asked Mohammad Rafique, a refugee living in the Kutupalong camp. “We have no jobs, no land to grow food, and no way to support our families.”
Malnutrition levels among Rohingya children have already been a growing concern. According to previous reports by humanitarian agencies, nearly half of Rohingya children suffer from stunted growth due to chronic undernutrition. With further ration cuts, this situation is expected to worsen, leading to long-term health consequences.
The reduction in rations is also likely to exacerbate tensions and increase crime and violence within the camps.
With limited access to food, refugees may be forced into desperate measures, including joining armed groups, engaging in smuggling activities, or falling prey to human trafficking networks. Over the past year, security in the camps has deteriorated due to the rise of criminal gangs and armed factions, making life even more dangerous for refugees.
Human rights activists and aid organizations have expressed deep concerns over the impact of the cuts. “This is not just about food, it’s about survival. When people are hungry and desperate, the entire humanitarian situation collapses,” said an aid worker in Cox’s Bazar.
“The international community must act now to restore funding and ensure that these people are not abandoned.”
The current crisis is a continuation of the long-standing suffering of the Rohingya people. In August 2017, Myanmar’s military launched a brutal crackdown in Rakhine State, forcing more than 740,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh within a few months.
Survivors recounted harrowing stories of villages being burned, family members being slaughtered, and women being subjected to mass rape by soldiers. The violence followed decades of systemic discrimination, denial of citizenship, and state-sponsored persecution of the Rohingya in Myanmar.
Bangladesh, despite its own economic challenges, opened its borders to provide shelter to the fleeing Rohingya, and the UN and other aid agencies stepped in to provide humanitarian support.
However, over the years, donor fatigue and global crises have led to declining funds for the Rohingya response. The international community has largely failed to find a durable solution, and efforts to repatriate refugees to Myanmar have repeatedly stalled due to ongoing violence and the refusal of Myanmar’s military to guarantee their safety and rights.
As the food crisis looms, humanitarian agencies are urging the international community to step up and prevent a catastrophe. The UN has repeatedly called for increased funding from donor countries, but with global conflicts and economic struggles diverting attention, securing adequate support has proven difficult.
“The Rohingya crisis has not ended. These are people who have no country, no rights, and now, not even enough food to survive. We need urgent global action,” said a representative of an international aid agency.
Unless additional funds are secured, the latest cuts will push the Rohingya refugees further into despair, leaving one of the world’s most persecuted communities on the brink of starvation.
Aid organizations are calling for:
- Immediate international funding to restore food rations to at least the previous levels.
- Pressure on donor governments to prioritize humanitarian assistance for the Rohingya crisis.
- Long-term solutions that address the root causes of the Rohingya displacement, including holding Myanmar accountable and ensuring a safe and dignified return for refugees.
As the deadline for the ration cuts approaches, the world’s response will determine whether the Rohingya will be left to suffer in silence or receive the urgent support they desperately need.
