A dire humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Bangladesh, where over a million Rohingya refugees are facing drastic cuts to their already meager food rations. The World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that monthly food assistance will be reduced from $12.50 to a mere $6 per person, effective April 1st. This alarming decision comes as a result of severe funding shortages, worsened by the recent withdrawal of foreign aid from key donors, including the United States.
Aid organizations are sounding the alarm, warning that this dramatic reduction in food aid will have devastating consequences for the vulnerable Rohingya population living in overcrowded camps in Cox’s Bazar. Experts predict a sharp increase in hunger, malnutrition, and child mortality rates. The already precarious security situation within the camps is also expected to deteriorate further as desperation grows.
The WFP has issued an urgent appeal for $125 million in emergency funding to restore full food rations and avert a humanitarian catastrophe. They stress that the Rohingya refugees, who fled violence and persecution in Myanmar, are entirely dependent on humanitarian aid for survival.
This crisis highlights the urgent need for the international community to step up and provide essential support to the Rohingya refugees. With dwindling resources and rising needs, the situation demands immediate action to prevent a further escalation of this humanitarian tragedy.
