U.N. officials have sounded the alarm over impending cuts to aid for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, warning that food rations could drop to dangerously low levels, potentially leading to starvation and loss of life as major donors withdraw support.
Humanitarian Crisis Looms as U.N. Warns of Critical Aid Shortages for Rohingya Refugees
Humanitarian Crisis Looms as U.N. Warns of Critical Aid Shortages for Rohingya Refugees
Cuts in humanitarian assistance threaten the survival of over a million refugees in Bangladesh's sprawling camps, raising alarms of imminent starvation.
In the heart of Bangladesh's massive Rohingya refugee camp, the specter of starvation looms large as aid cuts threaten the already fragile situation. With over a million people relying on dwindling resources, United Nations officials have revealed that food allowances could plummet to a mere $6 per person per month, a level far beneath what is needed for survival.
As the geopolitical landscape shifts, the U.S. administration's reduction of humanitarian support stands out. The discontinuation of aid has compounded challenges for relief organizations already grappling with crises across the globe, from ongoing conflicts to newly emerged emergencies. A wave of budget reductions has also swept through several European nations, which are redirecting funds towards defense initiatives amid a resurgent Russia.
During a visit to the Rohingya camp in Cox’s Bazar, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the gravity of the situation, warning that the world stands on the brink of a severe humanitarian disaster. “With the announced cuts in financial assistance, we are facing the dramatic risk of having only 40 percent in 2025 of the resources available for humanitarian aid in 2024,” he stated to a crowd of refugees, pressing that “people will suffer, and people will die” if immediate action isn't taken.
As aid organizations scramble to prevent a humanitarian disaster, the situation for the Rohingya remains precarious. Current food rations consist of limited staples like 18 pounds of rice, two pounds of lentils, a liter of cooking oil, and a small amount of salt—insufficient to sustain a healthy diet for an entire month. Without substantial intervention and restored funding, the threat of malnutrition and starvation could become a harsh reality for many in the camp, urging the international community to act swiftly in order to avert an unmitigated crisis.
