Humanitarian Crisis Looms as Aid Cuts Threaten Rohingya Refugees

UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemns aid cuts by Western nations to Bangladesh, where over a million Rohingya refugees reside. Visiting during Ramadan, Guterres stresses the cuts as 'a crime,' signaling a potential humanitarian crisis if funding isn't secured. The Rohingya's future remains uncertain.

On Friday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres criticized recent humanitarian aid cuts by the United States and European countries to Bangladesh, home to thousands of Rohingya refugees, labeling them 'a crime.' Guterres was on a four-day visit to Bangladesh to evaluate the challenges faced by more than a million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar amid fears of imminent aid reductions.

Guterres' visit highlighted the impact of these cuts, particularly in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district, 'ground zero' for those affected by the budget constraints. The area hosts hundreds of thousands of Rohingya, including over 700,000 who arrived in 2017, and about 70,000 more following military conflicts in Myanmar's Rakhine state in 2024.

The UN seeks to secure funding for the refugees after severe aid cut announcements. Guterres met with Bangladesh's interim leader Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus in Dhaka, expressing concern about Western nations increasing defense spending while global humanitarian aid shrinks. Despite the cuts, Bangladesh pledges continued support for the refugees, but warns other projects could halt.

(With inputs from agencies.)