Dhaka Tribune, 5 March 2025

The United Nations will reduce food rations for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh from $12.50 to $6 per month starting in April after failing to secure sufficient funds, Reuters reported.

This reduction raises concerns among aid workers about rising hunger in the world’s largest refugee settlement.

Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC), confirmed the cut to the Dhaka Tribune, saying: “Yesterday, I was informed verbally, and today I received the letter confirming a $6.50 cut, which will take effect from April 1.” He added, “What they are receiving now is already not enough, so it’s hard to imagine the consequences of this new cut.”

According to sources, the World Food Program (WFP) informed the Ministry of Disaster Management on Wednesday.

Bangladesh is currently sheltering over one million Rohingya, a persecuted Muslim minority who fled violent purges in Myanmar in 2016 and 2017, in overcrowded camps in Cox’s Bazar.

Last year, roughly 70,000 more Rohingya fled to Bangladesh, driven by growing hunger in Rakhine State.

A letter from WFP to Rahman, seen by Reuters, indicated that attempts to secure funds to maintain rations at $12.50 per month had failed.

The letter stated that rations below $6 would “fall below the minimum survival level and fail to meet basic dietary needs.”

The WFP acknowledged that the cuts would strain families relying on humanitarian aid and increase tensions within the camps.

Despite appealing to multiple donors, funding could not be secured through cost-saving measures alone.

Rahman suggested that the reduction might be linked to the Trump administration’s global cut in foreign aid, as the US is a top donor to the refugee response.

The abrupt halt in US foreign aid has caused turmoil in the humanitarian sector worldwide, affecting programs providing lifesaving care in countries like Sudan and South Africa.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed concerns, saying waivers had been provided for life-saving services.

UN refugee agency head Filippo Grandi, during a visit to Cox’s Bazar, warned on X that decreased donor support could jeopardize the work done by the Bangladesh government, aid agencies, and refugees, risking hunger, disease, and insecurity.

A previous reduction in rations to $8 monthly in 2023 led to increased hunger and malnutrition, affecting 90% of the camp population and over 15% of children.

Now, with a further cut to $6 monthly, refugees will receive the equivalent of about Tk24 daily.

“For comparison, a banana costs around Tk10-12, and an egg costs Tk12-14,” Rahman explained.

USAID has supported the UN in providing emergency food and nutrition assistance to vulnerable populations in Bangladesh and Myanmar since 2017, contributing over 50% of the funds for the Rohingya humanitarian response in 2024.

Rahman highlighted the impact of recent aid cuts by Washington, resulting in reduced services at hospitals and in waste management.

“If food were to be reduced, it would create a grievous problem,” he warned.