Support for Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh May Collapse: UNHCR Warns

Arakan Now | 12 June 2025

The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has warned that support for over one million Rohingya refugees living in camps in southeastern Bangladesh is at risk of collapsing due to major funding shortages.

Most of these refugees fled to Bangladesh in 2017 to escape a violent military crackdown in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. Some had arrived even earlier. Now, they live in what is known as the world’s largest refugee settlement, located in Cox’s Bazar.

Speaking to reporters in Geneva, UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch said, “There is a huge gap in terms of what we need and what resources are available. These funding gaps will affect the daily living of Rohingya refugees as they depend on humanitarian support on a daily basis for food, health and education.”

Baloch also warned that basic services are in danger. Health services could be seriously affected by September. By December, food assistance may stop completely unless more money is provided.

The crisis is getting worse due to global funding cuts. Major donors like the United States and other Western countries have reduced their aid, choosing instead to focus on military spending because of growing concerns about Russia and China.

Baloch added, “With the acute global funding crisis, the critical needs of both newly arrived refugees and those already present will be unmet, and essential services for the whole Rohingya refugee population are at risk of collapsing unless additional funds are secured.”

The situation has become even more serious as at least 150,000 more Rohingya have arrived in Cox’s Bazar in the past 18 months, according to UNHCR.

The Rohingya, a mostly Muslim minority group, have long faced violence and persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, especially in Rakhine State. Thousands continue to flee to Bangladesh for safety.

Baloch said this is the biggest wave of Rohingya fleeing Myanmar since 2017, when about 750,000 people crossed into Bangladesh to escape deadly attacks.

Photo : Reuter