Food assistance slashed for hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees trapped in Bangladesh camps
NPR • • world
Key Points:
- The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) is reducing food assistance for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh's overcrowded camps, with some receiving as little as $7 per month, down from $12.
- Around 17% of the 1.2 million Rohingya will get the reduced amount, while a third classified as "extremely food insecure" will continue receiving $12, but many fear this will lead to severe hunger and increased desperation.
- The WFP states the reduction is part of a new tiered system to ensure minimum calorie intake and fairness, not a ration cut, though local officials and refugees view it as a significant cut that may worsen law and order.
- Aid cuts from foreign donors since 2022 have already caused severe hardship, including increased child malnutrition, school closures, and rising risks of kidnapping, child marriage, and labor within the camps.
- Refugees express deep concern about survival, with some considering dangerous migration routes or returning to Myanmar despite risks, highlighting the urgent humanitarian crisis intensified by the reduced food aid.
