UN Chief Visits Bangladesh Amid Concerns Over Rohingya Aid Cuts
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is visiting Bangladesh to assess the situation of over one million Rohingya refugees amid fears of significant aid reductions.
The U.N. Chief’s four-day trip commenced with a welcome at Dhaka’s main airport, following concerns about potential cuts from the World Food Program (WFP) and other aid organizations after the recent shutdown of USAID operations.
The WFP has announced that food rations could drop from $12.50 to $6 per month starting in April unless it secures $81 million to sustain operations through the end of the year. The agency requires $15 million specifically for April to avoid these cuts. A letter from the WFP indicated that ration reductions could take effect in Cox’s Bazar, which is home to dozens of refugee camps.
Bangladesh’s interim government, which took power last August, aims to use Guterres’s visit to rally international support for the Rohingya crisis. The U.S. has historically been the largest donor to aid efforts for Rohingya refugees, contributing approximately $300 million in 2024, accounting for nearly half of the humanitarian response funding.
Since 2017, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have sought refuge in Bangladesh, with 70,000 crossing the border in 2024 due to violence in Myanmar. The Rohingya community in Cox’s Bazar faces severe challenges, including a reported 27% increase in severe acute malnutrition cases as of February 2025.
UNICEF has reported that over 15% of children under five in the camps are malnourished. The organization supports integrated nutrition facilities to treat malnourished children and educate caregivers on nutritious meal preparation.
The deteriorating security situation in the camps has led to incidents of kidnappings and armed group recruitment, prompting families to seek work outside the camps despite government restrictions. In 2024, over 7,800 Rohingya undertook dangerous sea journeys, with children making up nearly half of those fleeing.
