UN to Cut Food Aid to Rohingya Refugees, Fears of Rising Hunger in Bangladesh
The United Nations is set to drastically reduce food rations for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, slashing them from $12.50 to $6 per month starting in April. This reduction comes as a result of the UN's struggle to secure necessary funding for the world's largest refugee settlement, home to over one million Rohingya refugees.
Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, Bangladesh's top official overseeing the refugee camps, confirmed the cut, expressing concerns about the potential impact on the refugees who are already facing inadequate food supply. He emphasized that the reduction to $6 would make it even more difficult for these families to meet their basic needs.
The decision follows ongoing financial difficulties for the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP), which has been unable to secure enough donations to maintain current rations. The cut is expected to exacerbate hunger and malnutrition among the already vulnerable refugee population. According to Rahman, the previous reduction in 2023, which lowered the rations to $8, led to a sharp rise in malnutrition and hunger within the camps.
The WFP has acknowledged that any further reduction in rations could fall below the minimum survival level for the refugees, who rely entirely on humanitarian aid. The reduction is feared to worsen tensions within the overcrowded camps, where the refugees already face limited job opportunities and educational resources.
The United States, historically the largest donor to the refugee response in Bangladesh, has reduced its foreign aid budget under the previous administration. While the WFP did not confirm whether this aid cut contributed to the current situation, it is widely believed that this has played a significant role in the funding shortfall.
With the new rations, refugees will receive the equivalent of about 24 Bangladesh taka per day, a sum barely enough to cover basic food costs. This reduction further underscores the dire situation of the Rohingya refugees, who continue to live in uncertain and precarious conditions, struggling for survival.
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As aid cuts continue to affect essential services in the camps, including health care and waste management, the international community is urged to respond to the growing humanitarian crisis in Cox’s Bazar.
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