The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that food rations for approximately one million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh will be halved next month due to a severe lack of funding. This decision comes as the refugee community, mostly displaced after fleeing Myanmar’s 2017 military crackdown, continues to endure dire conditions in overcrowded camps.
The WFP revealed that monthly food vouchers, which were previously set at $12.50 per person, will be reduced to $6.00 starting in April. The WFP cited “severe funding shortfalls” as the reason for the cut, despite efforts to implement cost-saving measures.
Bangladesh’s refugee agency, led by Md. Shamsud Douza, plans to meet with community leaders next week to discuss the implications of the reduction. The announcement comes just days before UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ planned visit to the camps, where he will meet with refugees during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
The Rohingya refugees fled Myanmar’s brutal crackdown, which is currently being investigated by the UN for potential genocide. With few prospects for repatriation or resettlement, the refugees rely heavily on humanitarian aid to survive, with many trying perilous sea crossings in search of a better future.
