Rohingya in Bangladesh face further food ration cut

Rohingya in Bangladesh face further food ration cut

Thousands of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh still reeling from the loss of shelters by Cyclone Mocha are faced with a grim situation as their monthly food ration is to be slashed again due to funding shortfalls.

The funding shortage is forcing the UN World Food Program (WFP) to cut the food ration from US$10 to US$8 per person per month, the agency said on May 26.

Previously, the agency was forced from March 1 to reduce the food vouchers from US$12 to US$10 for refugees in dozens of camps in Cox’s Bazar in southeast Bangladesh.

The latest cut comes almost two weeks after thousands of refugees lost their shelters in the powerful storm and who are still struggling to rebuild houses.

Mocha made landfall on May 14 and wreaked havoc in Rakhine state of Myanmar, just across the border, where it destroyed thousands of homes and other structures, killing hundreds.

The storm fizzled past Bangladesh and damaged houses and trees, but no deaths were reported. The government evacuated about half a million people to evacuation centers for safety.

“Anything less than US$12 has dire consequences”

A WFP official says without an increase in funding the refugees face dire consequences.

“We are appealing for urgent support so that we can restore rations to the full amount as soon as possible. Anything less than US$12 has dire consequences not only on nutrition for women and children, but also protection, safety and security for everyone in the camps,” said Dom Scalpelli, WFP Resident Representative and Country Director in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh is home to about one million Rohingya Muslims, the majority fled a deadly military crackdown in Rakhine state in 2017.

Denied citizenship and other basic rights in Myanmar, Rohingya are considered among the world’s most persecuted minority groups.

Scalpelli said that the refugees have been stranded in the camps in Bangladesh without livelihood opportunities and relying entirely on humanitarian assistance to survive.

Even with WFP food assistance, four in 10 families were not consuming enough food and 12 percent of children were acutely malnourished before the ration was cut.

“Tensions might arise between refugees and the host community”

The agency warns that the cut in the food ration might spell negative consequences for the beleaguered community, such as children being withdrawn from school or girls offered in child marriage.

In addition, refugees might seek illegal employment outside camps increasing risks of exploitation and abuse, and tensions might arise between refugees and the host community in Cox’s Bazar.

The WFP also pointed out that desperate Rohingya might resort to risky sea voyages to move to other countries.

Scalpelli said there is no alternative to a full food ration for Rohingya as they have no other choice.

“We are extremely grateful for all contributions received so far, but we still need US$56 million to restore the full ration and keep this lifeline intact until the end of the year,” he added.