Desk Report:
The UK government has announced more than $36 million in new humanitarian aid for Rohingya refugees. The announcement comes amid fears of a crisis due to dwindling international aid for refugees in Bangladesh, according to a report by the British newspaper The Independent.
Earlier this week, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper unveiled the aid package. The UK took this step ahead of a key UN conference on the plight of Myanmar and its minority population, particularly the Rohingya.
A statement from the British Foreign Office said the money will provide food, shelter, clean water and healthcare to people displaced by the conflict in Myanmar and taking refuge in Bangladesh. This includes sexual and reproductive health services for 175,000 women and girls. There will also be special support for victims of sexual, physical and psychological violence.
Foreign Secretary Cooper said, “This new British aid will provide life-saving food, shelter, clean water and other essential services to the half-million Rohingya and local communities who have taken refuge in Bangladesh. The UK will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that those displaced by the violence have access to safety, dignity and opportunity.”
Earlier, nearly one million Rohingya who fled violence in Myanmar in 2017 are now living in camps in Cox’s Bazar. The financial crisis became severe in 2024 and 2025. The situation worsened, especially after US President Donald Trump abruptly cut foreign aid and dismantled USAID.
The UN said that Western aid cuts in the camps led to schools being closed, food rations being reduced and healthcare services being limited.
The Rohingya are a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority. In 2017, Buddhist militias backed by the army attacked them in Rakhine state. The Rohingya were forced to flee to Bangladesh. The situation worsened after a military coup in Myanmar in 2021. The conflict with the Arakan Army, an organization of the Buddhist majority in Rakhine, intensified. This led to the entry of another 150,000 people into Bangladesh.
On September 26, the head of the interim government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, said at the United Nations General Assembly that the Rohingya crisis was on the verge of collapse due to the decrease in international assistance. He warned that a terrible situation would arise if immediate global action was not taken.
Muhammad Yunus also said, “The ongoing conflict in our neighboring country not only threatens regional stability, but also hinders the possibility of the safe repatriation of the Rohingya who have taken refuge in Bangladesh.” He warned that if assistance is reduced, food aid will soon fall to just $6 per capita. This will further increase hunger and insecurity.
He called on the international community, saying, “Existing donors should provide additional assistance and potential new donors should announce generous assistance.” Only then can a dire situation be averted.’
The British Foreign Office estimates that £6 million of the new aid package will go towards camp management and food. £4.2 million will be allocated for water and sanitation. £1.5 million will be allocated for healthcare.
The UK government said the initiative was taken as part of its continued leadership in the global humanitarian response. It also pledged to work to address the root causes of displacement, even as humanitarian aid delivery in Myanmar has become more difficult.
