UN requires nearly $1 billion in aid for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh
The United Nations announced on Monday that it, along with partners, is seeking nearly $1 billion to provide essential aid this year for approximately 1.5 million Rohingya refugees and their host communities in Bangladesh.
The UN, in collaboration with over 100 partners, is launching a 2025-26 Joint Response Plan to address the Rohingya crisis, amid dwindling financial resources and competing global challenges, Arab News reported. The appeal aims to raise $934.5 million in its first year to assist around 1.48 million individuals, including both Rohingya refugees and local communities.
Approximately one million members of this persecuted, predominantly Muslim minority reside in overcrowded relief camps in Bangladesh, many having fled the military crackdown in Myanmar in 2017.
In a statement, the UN emphasized that, even in its eighth year, the Rohingya humanitarian crisis remains largely overlooked by the international community, yet the needs are urgent. It warned that any funding shortfalls in critical areas—such as food assistance, cooking fuel, or basic shelter—could have severe consequences for this vulnerable population, potentially forcing many to take desperate measures, like embarking on perilous boat journeys in search of safety.
The UN also noted that over half of the refugee population in these camps comprises women and girls, who are at a heightened risk of gender-based violence and exploitation. Furthermore, about one-third of the refugees are aged between 10 and 24, and without access to formal education, skills training, and opportunities for self-reliance, their futures remain uncertain.
The UN stressed that until peace is restored in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, allowing for safe and voluntary returns, the international community must continue to provide life-saving assistance to the refugees in the camps.
