UN halves Rohingya food rations due to funding shortfall
The United Nations has announced a significant reduction in food rations for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, cutting monthly allocations from $12.50 to $6 starting next month unless urgent funding is secured. This move threatens to intensify food insecurity in the world's largest refugee settlement.
Bangladesh’s top refugee official, Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, confirmed the reduction, stating, "I was verbally informed yesterday, and today I received official confirmation that the cut will take effect from April 1." Expressing deep concern, he added, "The current food supply is already insufficient, so this further reduction is alarming."
A representative from the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) in Dhaka noted that the cuts could still be avoided if enough funding is raised in the coming weeks. The organization is currently seeking $81 million to sustain food assistance at previous levels.
Bangladesh is home to over one million Rohingya refugees, most of whom fled persecution in Myanmar in 2016 and 2017. They are living in overcrowded camps in Cox’s Bazar with extremely limited access to work and education opportunities. Additionally, around 70,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar last year due to worsening hunger in Rakhine state, according to reports.
In a letter to Rahman, WFP acknowledged its continued efforts to secure funding but admitted that donor contributions had fallen short. The organization warned that reducing rations below $6 per month would drop food aid below the minimum survival threshold, failing to meet even basic dietary needs.
WFP further stressed that even at $6 per month, refugees would not receive adequate energy and nutrition. Pregnant and breastfeeding women, who have higher nutritional needs, face the greatest risks.
The funding crisis is part of a larger global shortfall in aid donations rather than a result of any specific foreign policy decisions, WFP clarified. The agency also noted that the United States has continued to provide food aid support for the Rohingya despite broader reductions in international assistance.
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