 What happened
Starting April 1, the United Nations' World Food Program (WFP) is cutting the monthly food vouchers for about one million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh from US$12.50 to US$6 per person.
Why this matters: (This is also sort of a refresher) The Rohingya are an ethnic group from Rakhine State, Myanmar. They’re mostly Muslim and have lived in the region for centuries. But Myanmar’s government doesn’t see it that way. Instead, they claim the Rohingya are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh—even though Rohingya history in the region dates back over a thousand years with influences from Arabs, Mughals, and Portuguese traders. The Myanmar government has denied Rohingya citizenship since 1982, stripping them of basic rights. That means no passports, no legal status (they're stateless), they need special permission to travel, and they’re kept out of most government positions. Analysts (and people like Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu) have compared their treatment to apartheid. The military has been targeting the Rohingya since the 1940s. The last military crackdown was in 2016/2017, and it was so severe, that close to a million Rohingya people fled Myanmar, and settled mostly in Bangladesh. They live in camps there since. Cox's Bazar, a town by the sea in Bangladesh, is home to the world's largest refugee camp.
Tell me more
Everybody’s sounding the alarm. I talked to Nay San Lwin (X), co-founder of the Free Rohingya Coalition, about all of this. The Free Rohingya Coalition (FRC) is a global activist network fighting for Rohingya rights, justice, and safety. Follow them on X, Facebook or Instagram.
whlw: How will these cuts affect daily life in the camps?
Nay San Lwin: The WFP’s decision will severely impact life in the Rohingya refugee camps. Food insecurity and malnutrition—already critical issues, particularly among children—will worsen. The cuts will also take a toll on mental health, increase social tensions, and heighten risks of crime and exploitation. As families struggle to afford basic necessities, children’s education and development will suffer, perpetuating cycles of poverty and dependence.
whlw: Has there been any discussion with the Bangladeshi government or international bodies on alternative solutions to food insecurity in the camps?
Nan San Lwin: Yes, discussions have taken place among the Bangladeshi government, the UN, and donors, primarily revolving around funding appeals to prevent ration cuts. Some private efforts have also urged Bangladesh to lift employment restrictions for Rohingya refugees. However, concrete results remain uncertain. Sustainable solutions must go beyond emergency aid, focusing on policies that allow refugees to work legally, support local economies, and reduce long-term reliance on humanitarian assistance.
whlw: Given the persistent funding shortfalls, do you see any viable long-term strategies for Rohingya self-sufficiency or economic empowerment in Bangladesh?
Nan San Lwin: Yes, but they hinge on policy reforms. Lifting employment restrictions would enable Rohingya refugees to contribute to sectors like agriculture, trade, and small businesses. Investing in vocational training and microenterprise development could provide the skills and resources necessary for economic independence. Since safe repatriation to Myanmar remains unrealistic due to ongoing conflict, international partners should advocate for these reforms and explore innovative financing models to reduce aid dependency and promote long-term stability.
whlw: What can international donors do to help?
Nan San Lwin: Donors must act urgently to restore full food rations and counter reductions such as those caused by the U.S. aid freeze under the Trump administration. Beyond food aid, they should support initiatives in health, education, and livelihoods. Diplomatic efforts should focus on long-term solutions, including facilitating safe repatriation to Myanmar and easing work restrictions in Bangladesh to enable economic independence for refugees. Addressing both immediate and structural challenges is key to breaking the cycle of crisis.
whlw: How can the global public and civil society organizations best support Rohingya refugees at this critical time?
Nan San Lwin: Civil society and the global public play a crucial role in raising awareness, advocating for policy changes, and mobilizing funds for organizations like the WFP. Grassroots initiatives, direct support for health and education programs, and collaborations with the private sector can also help. However, without comprehensive government action to address the root causes of the crisis, these efforts risk being symbolic rather than transformative. Advocacy must go hand in hand with structural policy changes to ensure lasting impact.
What do Rohingya refugees living in the camps in Bangladesh say?
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One Rohingya refugee, 40-year-old Manzur Ahmed, living in Cox's Bazar, said: "I’m worried about how I’ll feed my family, because we don’t have any way to earn money here. When I heard about this, I got scared. How can I buy rice, chili, salt, sugar, and dal with only 700 taka ($6)? Fish, meat, and vegetables are impossible—we can’t even afford cooking oil. Where will we get these things?"
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Another Rohingya refugee, 32-year.old Dildar Begum, said: "When we go to the hospital now, they don’t give us medicine unless it’s an emergency. Before, anyone who felt sick could get treatment. But now, only people in serious condition get medicine."
Does this have anything to do with the USAID cuts?
Not clear right now. The WFP says, "donations have gone down globally. It's been bad for a while." Bangladesh’s temporary government did say that the end of USAID funding would affect other projects (smaller NGOs, as CBC News reports) in the country, but money meant for Rohingya refugees will keep coming. But also: the U.S. is Bangladesh’s biggest donor for helping Rohingya refugees, especially by giving emergency food and nutrition through the U.N. Usually, almost half of all aid money for Rohingya refugees comes from the U.S.—in 2024 alone, that was around US$300 million.
Zoom out: The USAID cuts affect Rohingya refugees in Indonesia, however. Basically, the UN's migration agency in charge of helping refugees told them, "Sorry folks, we’re short on cash," because their biggest funder, the U.S., scaled back dramatically. Around 925 Rohingya refugees are losing healthcare and cash support. They’ll still get a bit of help—but only the absolute basics, and only for the people most in need, Reuters reported. Btw, this is not the first food aid cutfor Rohingya refugees.
Good to know: Five years ago, Aung San Suu Kyi denied genocide at the ICJ. Now in prison (for other reasons), some Rohingya in Cox's Bazar see her as powerless. "I don’t think she is the real enemy of the Rohingya," one Rohingya tells The Independent. The blame is put rather on the army itself and the Mogh Baghi (common term used by refugees for the Arakan Army, the most powerful Buddhist rebel group in Myanmar accused of forcefully displacing tens of thousands of Rohingya.)
What other problems are Rohingya refugees facing right now?
It’s not just food that’s getting harder to come by in the refugee camps—it’s water, too. Zulker Naeen writes for Global Voices about the freshwater crisis in Cox’s Bazar, a town by the sea in Bangladesh. It used to be known for having the longest natural sandy beach in the world, but now, most people recognize it as home to the world’s largest refugee camp. More people means a higher demand for water, and that’s where the problem starts. Thousands of tube wells have dried up because both refugees and locals are pulling too much water from underground. Every year, groundwater levels drop even further (climate change says hi), and digging deeper wells isn’t a simple solution—it costs around US$1,200, which is out of reach for most people. Right now, residents have to travel to a shop where water is pulled from deep underground, treated, and then sold. Some people earn so little that they end up spending more than 10 percent of their income just to have clean drinking water.
What now?
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will visit Rohingya refugees soon for Ramadan. (Rohingya are mostly Muslims.)
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