Rohingya Face Deepening Humanitarian Crisis in Bangladesh

Cox’s Bazar – The United Nations has issued a fresh and urgent call to the international community to step up support for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, warning of a deepening humanitarian crisis as funding continues to fall critically short.

As of mid-2025, the Joint Response Plan (JRP)—which seeks $934 million to support approximately 1.48 million people, including nearly one million Rohingya refugees and half a million host community members—remains less than 20% funded. Without swift and substantial donor support, UN officials fear that already fragile services may collapse entirely.

Gwyn Lewis, UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh, emphasized the extreme vulnerability of both Rohingya refugees and local Bangladeshis in Cox’s Bazar. With the monsoon season underway, more than 1,400 shelters have been damaged by heavy rains across 33 camps, while 53 landslides and lightning strikes have claimed lives and injured residents.

“This is a crisis within a crisis,” said Lewis. “The monsoon brings destruction year after year. With dwindling funds, our capacity to respond has been crippled.”

The World Food Programme (WFP) has already reduced monthly food rations from $12 to just $8 per person, forcing refugees to survive on less than 9 cents per meal. This alarming cutback affects hundreds of thousands who depend on WFP distributions as their primary—often only—source of food.

Similarly, UNHCR has frozen over $300 million in planned humanitarian activities due to budget constraints. Life-saving programs in health, water, sanitation, and protection are being downsized or paused.

During a recent visit to Cox’s Bazar, UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the situation as “a crime,” calling the global indifference toward Rohingya suffering unacceptable. “Cutting aid in a crisis like this is not just unfortunate—it’s inhumane,” he said.

In response to the deteriorating conditions, the UN is now exploring the establishment of a humanitarian aid corridor from Bangladesh to Myanmar, aimed at facilitating the eventual safe, voluntary, and dignified repatriation of Rohingya refugees. However, the viability of such a plan depends heavily on the situation inside Myanmar and the sustained involvement of international actors.

There have been some positive signs. The Government of France recently pledged €1.5 million to support UNHCR’s protection and humanitarian programs for Rohingya refugees. Yet, UN agencies caution that these contributions, while vital, are nowhere near enough to meet the scale of needs.

The Rohingya Vision News calls on the international community—governments, donors, private institutions, and concerned citizens—to heed the UN’s call and urgently provide the financial support required to prevent a full-blown humanitarian disaster.

Rohingya refugees are not just statistics. They are survivors. Their lives depend on what the world chooses to do next.

Rohingya Vision News