By Mohammed Zonaid and Mohammed Faruque
Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh – The world’s largest refugee settlement is on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe as the World Food Programme (WFP) announces yet another drastic cut in food aid for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. Beginning April 1, 2025, monthly food vouchers—already reduced multiple times in recent years—will be slashed from $12.50 to just $6 per person due to severe funding shortages.
For more than a million Rohingya refugees who fled genocide in Myanmar and now live in overcrowded, squalid camps, this latest reduction could mean the difference between survival and starvation. With no legal right to work and dwindling humanitarian assistance, desperation is mounting. Additionally, due to the ongoing war between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army, more than 24,000 Rohingya have sought shelter in Bangladesh this year.
A Crisis Manufactured by Neglect
The Rohingya crisis is not new, but international attention—and funding—has steadily declined since the mass exodus of 2017, when over 700,000 Rohingya were forced to flee Myanmar amid brutal military violence that the United Nations later classified as genocide. Since then, the refugees have remained trapped in limbo—unable to return to Myanmar due to continued persecution and barred from integrating into Bangladeshi society. Confined to heavily restricted camps, they are entirely dependent on humanitarian aid, which has been steadily shrinking.
In 2023, WFP reduced food vouchers from $12 to $10 per person per month, and in mid-2024, another cut brought them down to $8. By the end of 2024, there was a brief increase to $14.50 following a temporary boost in funding, but now, with the latest reduction to $6 per person, humanitarian experts warn of an imminent catastrophe.
"This is beyond alarming—it is a direct path to mass malnutrition, suffering, and even death," said a 36-year-old aid worker involved in Rohingya relief efforts.
The Role of USAID Funding Cuts
This drastic reduction in food aid is directly linked to a broader crisis in international humanitarian funding, particularly the abrupt cuts to U.S. aid.
In January 2025, the Trump administration froze nearly all foreign aid, leading to the mass dismissal of over 1,000 USAID employees and contractors. Shortly thereafter, it was announced that USAID would be merged into the U.S. State Department, effectively dismantling one of the world’s largest humanitarian aid agencies. The impact of this decision has been devastating.
"This is not just budget tightening; it is the active dismantling of lifesaving humanitarian infrastructure," a former USAID official told the media.
For Rohingya refugees, the consequences are immediate and severe. WFP officials have directly linked the food aid cuts to the collapse of U.S. funding, with humanitarian agencies now scrambling to find alternative sources before conditions in the camps deteriorate further.
Historically, the U.S. has been the leading donor in the Rohingya humanitarian response. Since August 2017, the U.S. government has contributed more than $2.5 billion to the regional Rohingya crisis, including over $2.1 billion to Bangladesh alone. Of this, nearly $1.3 billion was allocated through the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), according to a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Bangladesh on September 25, 2024.
Despite this, overall donor support has been declining. According to the UN, of the $852.4 million required for the Rohingya response in 2024, only $548.9 million had been secured, with the U.S. providing $301 million—just 55% of the total.
"The world must understand that these funding cuts don’t just affect policies—they mean children going to bed hungry, mothers unable to feed their families, and an entire refugee population being pushed to the brink of starvation," said a 31-year-old Rohingya youth activist.
"How Can We Survive on $6?" – Refugees Speak Out
For the refugees, the impact of these cuts is devastating.
Mohammed Rawfiq, a father of four living in Kutupalong Camp, does not know how he will continue to provide for his children.
"Even when we received $12, we struggled to eat properly. Now, they are telling us to survive on half of that? What can we buy with $6? A small bag of rice? And after that, what?" he asked, his voice filled with frustration and fear.
Kalayda Begum, a 34-year-old mother of three, worries about her youngest child, who is already malnourished.
"My baby cries from hunger, and I have nothing to give him except a handful of rice and salt water. We are not animals—why is the world treating us like this?" she pleaded.
Health workers are already seeing an alarming rise in malnutrition, particularly among children. UNICEF reports that nearly half of all Rohingya children under the age of five suffer from chronic malnutrition—a number that is expected to rise as food aid continues to diminish.
"We are staring at a full-scale humanitarian disaster. Hunger will rise, diseases will spread, and desperation will lead to dangerous consequences," warned a doctor working in the camps.
The Cost of Global Apathy
According to WFP, the primary reason for these cuts is a severe funding shortfall, with international donors—including the United States—scaling back their contributions. The global focus has shifted to other crises, including Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan, leaving the Rohingya crisis on the margins.
The reduction in food aid does not only threaten physical survival—it also exacerbates security risks. When food becomes scarce, tensions rise. The camps have already seen an increase in violence, child labor, human trafficking, and forced marriages. With food running out, refugees may resort to dangerous sea voyages, falling prey to traffickers who exploit their desperation.
A Call for Urgent Action
Human rights organizations and aid groups are urgently calling on the international community to prevent a catastrophe.
"The world must act now. The Rohingya crisis is not over. Cutting food aid to this level is inhumane and unacceptable," said a spokesperson for an international relief organization.
There are growing demands for wealthy nations—particularly the U.S., UK, EU, and Gulf states—to step up funding before it is too late. WFP has warned that if additional funds are not secured immediately, further cuts could follow.
Rohingya activist Nay San Lwin took to social media, tagging the Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh, urging authorities to consider inviting investors to the camps.
"As Rohingya survivors of Myanmar’s genocide face the threat of starvation in Bangladesh’s refugee camps due to ration cuts to just $6, I sincerely urge the Chief Adviser of GOB to consider inviting investors to the area. This would benefit both the host communities and the refugees. There is no need to fear that Rohingya refugees will refuse to return if they are given jobs that allow them to earn a living. They would certainly go back once they feel their homeland is safe. Refugees should have opportunities to work and sustain themselves rather than relying on the minimal support from WFP. This would improve their livelihoods and contribute to Bangladesh’s economy."
As the refugees brace for an even harsher reality, a haunting question lingers:
Will the world act, or will it watch a million people starve in silence?