The stateless and hapless Rohingya people, who have rightfully drawn global sympathy for their plight as victims of ethnic cleansing in Myanmar and taken refuge in Bangladesh, now face a renewed crisis. A chronic funding shortfall, exacerbated by the Trump administration's suspension of USAID projects, threatens to push over a million of these refugees in Bangladesh into a deeper state of hunger and wretchedness. Considering the widespread sympathy they received, the reduction in their food aid would be deeply insensitive and inhuman. Yet, this is precisely what is about to happen to this beleaguered people. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that without immediate financial assistance, it will be forced to slash monthly rations to a mere US$6.0 per person, down from US$12.50, which will force the Rohingya to starve. Surviving on just US$12.5 a month is already an uphill battle, but if this meager ration is slashed more than half, how can they survive? This comes at a time when the Rohingya, like millions of Muslims worldwide, are preparing to observe Eid-an occasion traditionally associated with generosity, solidarity, and compassion. Instead, these miserable people, who have already suffered the horrors of ethnic cleansing and displacement, are destined to suffer even the worse.
The WFP has issued an urgent appeal: US$15 million is immediately required for the month of April, and US$81 million is needed to sustain food assistance until the end of 2025. The world must respond to this call before it is too late. Governments, international donors, and humanitarian agencies must act decisively to prevent further human suffering. Bangladesh, which has shouldered the burden of hosting this persecuted population for decades, should not be left to bear the responsibility alone. While donor fatigue is an undeniable challenge in a world fraught with multiple humanitarian crises, it is imperative to recognise that cutting aid to refugees-who have no recourse to self-reliance-is not just a policy failure but also a moral one.
The Rohingya refugee crisis is one of the most protracted humanitarian emergencies in the world today. The first wave of Rohingyas arrived in Bangladesh in 1979, and the flow has continued intermittently ever since. The largest surge came in 2017, following what the United Nations called a "textbook case of ethnic cleansing" by Myanmar. Today, 1.2 million refugees live in overcrowded camps in Cox's Bazar, Ukhiya and Teknaf. Foreign aid for the Rohingya has been steadily declining since the COVID-19 pandemic, driven by donor fatigue and the failure to repatriate them to their homeland. Now, the situation has become even more complex due to the escalating conflict between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar military, making any hope of a safe return increasingly distant. Bangladesh has done more than many wealthier nations in supporting the Rohingya. But how long can this country shoulder a burden created by Myanmar's military junta?
For over four decades, Bangladesh has paid a heavy price for its generosity, both socially and economically. Not to mention the environmental consequences of housing these camps. Bangladesh cannot continue to bear the consequences of a crisis it did not create. The international community must step up. Cutting aid will only worsen the crisis, pushing an already vulnerable population into desperation and despondence. The world cannot afford to look away.
