UN seeks $710M for Rohingya aid in Bangladesh amid funding cuts
- Arakan Now
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Arakan Now | 20 May 2026
The UN and its partners on Wednesday appealed for $710.5 million under a joint response plan to support Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh amid a severe funding crisis, according to Anadolu Agency.
The new appeal is 26% lower than in 2025 and will cover only the minimum needed to maintain life-saving assistance, according to a statement by the UNHCR refugee agency in Dhaka.
The updated 2026 plan for the Rohingya humanitarian crisis aims to assist up to 1.56 million people, including Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar and nearby host communities in southeastern Bangladesh. The fund will also support Rohingya living on the remote island of Bhasan Char in the Bay of Bengal.
More than one million Rohingya have taken refuge in Bangladesh after fleeing persecution in neighboring Myanmar.
The updated plan was presented at the UN House in Dhaka in the presence of representatives from UN agencies, donor countries, and Bangladesh government officials.
The Rohingya fled targeted violence and persecution in Myanmar in August 2017 and remain in Bangladesh due to the lack of progress on repatriation.
Ongoing conflict in Myanmar has forced more people to flee. Since early 2024, around 150,000 Rohingya have newly arrived, putting further pressure on already overcrowded camps and limited humanitarian resources.
“As resources become more limited, it is more important than ever to help refugees build skills and resilience, so they can gain independence, hold on to hope, and rebuild their lives,” said Kelly T. Clements, deputy high commissioner of the UNHCR.
Rohingya refugees remain heavily dependent on aid despite major cuts in humanitarian funding and declining development support.
Limited economic opportunities and reduced assistance continue to affect Rohingya families, especially new arrivals and vulnerable groups such as women and girls, people with disabilities, and older people, UNHCR said.
As conflict continues in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, hopes for a quick return are fading. Worsening conditions are forcing more refugees to take dangerous sea journeys in search of opportunities elsewhere in the region.
UNHCR said 2025 was the deadliest year on record for such voyages. Just last month, a boat carrying more than 270 people capsized, leaving only nine survivors.
