Rohingya refugees living in the vast camps in Bangladesh have expressed serious concern on Wednesday following news of cuts to food assistance. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is preparing to reduce rations for 1.2 million refugees after facing a funding shortfall.
According to the WFP, Rohingya refugees in the Cox’s Bazar camps currently receive food assistance worth $12 per person per month. However, starting April 1, monthly assistance will be reduced to $7 for lower-risk groups, while it will be completely cut to $0 for those in the moderate-risk category. Only families classified as “highly food insecure” — including children, women, the elderly, and people with disabilities — will continue to receive the current level of support.
WFP spokesperson Kun Li said, “The purpose of the changes is to provide assistance more equitably and based on actual need. The most vulnerable families will be prioritized.” However, Rohingya civil rights activist Syed Ullah questioned, “How can a person survive on $12 a month? How can anyone live on $7 or even $0?” He also expressed concern that, since refugees are not officially allowed to work in Bangladesh, reduced rations could force some into illegal activities.
Bangladesh’s Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Mohammad Mizanur Rahman acknowledged that aid agencies are facing financial difficulties but warned of potential consequences. “Hunger could increase social instability and create law and order problems,” he said.
In 2017, thousands of Rohingya fled Myanmar due to a brutal military crackdown, during which villages were burned and civilians were killed. These घटनाहरू are now the subject of a genocide case at the United Nations court in The Hague.
According to the WFP, global funding dropped by about 40 percent in 2025. Cuts to foreign aid under U.S. President Donald Trump’s leadership further strained humanitarian efforts worldwide. In March 2025, the WFP had indicated that monthly assistance might be reduced to $6, but the decision was not immediately implemented.
