U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Bangladesh on Thursday to assess the challenging circumstances faced by more than 1 million Rohingya refugees as the prospect of aid reductions looms. This is Guterres’s second visit to the country and comes in the wake of potentially severe cutbacks by the World Food Program (WFP) and other organizations, particularly after the cessation of USAID operations announced by Washington.
Upon his arrival, Guterres was met by Touhid Hossain, Bangladesh’s foreign affairs adviser, at Dhaka’s main airport. The interim government in Bangladesh, which took office in August following the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, is hopeful that Guterres’s visit will galvanize international aid efforts for the Rohingya and bring renewed focus to their plight.
A recent communication from the World Food Program indicated that food ration cuts might be implemented starting April 1 in Cox’s Bazar, the location of many refugee camps. Currently, refugees receive $12.50 per month in food rations, but this could potentially be reduced to half. WFP spokesperson Kun Li emphasized their urgent efforts to secure the $81 million needed to maintain operations through the end of the year, including a crucial $15 million required for April alone.
On Friday, Guterres, alongside Bangladesh’s chief adviser Muhammad Yunus, plans to visit the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar. They are also set to hold discussions on Saturday, followed by a joint media briefing in Dhaka. Despite the overall aid cuts, the interim government of Bangladesh has assured that funding for Rohingya refugees will be sustained.
Historically, the United States has been the largest donor for the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh, contributing nearly half of the necessary humanitarian aid and totaling about $300 million in 2024 alone. The backdrop of this crisis involves a longstanding refugee situation accentuated by recent conflicts in Myanmar, where the Arakan Army has taken control of regions in the Rakhine state, causing further displacement of the Rohingya.
Bangladesh has been advocating for the repatriation of the refugees to Myanmar, viewed as the ultimate resolution to this crisis. However, challenges such as complex verification processes, diplomatic hurdles, and political tensions continue to cast uncertainty over the future of the Rohingya people. According to international legal arenas, Myanmar faces accusations of genocide, adding another layer of complexity for arranging a peaceful and rightful return of the refugees.
