The United Nations is warning that due to financial constraints, it will have to reduce rations for approximately one million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh starting next month. The World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that due to severe funding shortages, the monthly food vouchers for refugees will be halved from $12.50 to $6 per person. The WFP expressed regret over the lack of sufficient funding, stating that cost-saving measures alone are insufficient. According to Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, the top official overseeing Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh, the aid reduction has been confirmed. He expressed concerns about the negative consequences of such a cut, stating that the current aid is already insufficient for the refugees. The WFP’s announcement comes just before a visit by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to meet Rohingya refugees during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Bangladesh is hosting over one million Rohingya refugees who fled persecution in neighboring Myanmar. These refugees reside in crowded camps in Cox’s Bazar, where they have limited access to job opportunities and education. Previous aid cuts have already caused severe hardship and malnutrition among the refugees. Bangladesh is struggling to support the refugees as their return to Myanmar or resettlement elsewhere seems unlikely. Nay San Lwin, co-founder of the Free Rohingya Coalition, believes that the food voucher cut is equivalent to a death sentence for the refugees. He urges the WFP to prioritize reducing administrative costs and increasing lifesaving support for refugees. The funding gap is due to a general shortage of donations, not a decision by the US government to cut foreign aid. However, the Trump administration’s sudden suspension of most US foreign aid will impact health facilities and waste management in the camps. Rahman expressed concern about the reduction in aid and the suffering of the stateless refugees. The US provided more than 50 percent of the funds for the Rohingya humanitarian response in 2024. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi warns that a decrease in donor support puts thousands of refugees at risk of hunger, disease, and insecurity. Previous ration cuts in 2023 led to a sharp increase in hunger and malnutrition among the camp population. The European Commission has announced a humanitarian aid allocation of 76 million euros for Rohingya refugees and those affected by conflict in Myanmar. The EU Commissioner for Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, reaffirms the EU’s support for Rohingya refugees in

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/6/un-to-halve-rohingya-food-aid-in-bangladesh-amid-funding-crunch?traffic_source=rss