UN, partners seek $710m for Rohingya upkeep

The United Nations and its humanitarian partners have appealed for US$710 million in international assistance for next one year to sustain emergency support for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, warning that deepening global crises and shrinking aid budgets are threatening vital services for one of the world's largest displaced populations.

Launching the updated 2026 Joint Response Plan on Wednesday, UN agencies and aid organisations called for the sum to provide food, shelter, healthcare, education and protection services for the refugees from Myanmar long living in camps in Cox's Bazar and on Bhasan Char, as well as vulnerable Bangladeshi host communities affected by the crisis.

The appeal comes nearly a decade after hundreds of thousands of Rohingya fled targeted violence and persecution in Myanmar's Rakhine state, seeking refuge across the border in Bangladesh.

Now, around 1.2 million Rohingya people remain in Bangladesh, with humanitarian agencies warning that needs continue to grow as instability inside Myanmar forces more people to flee. Since early 2024, approximately 150,000 Rohingya have newly arrived in Bangladesh, increasing pressure on already- overcrowded camps and overstretched humanitarian operations.

The revised response plan aims to support around 1.56 million people, including refugees and host communities. Although the appeal amount is 26-percent lower than last year's request, aid agencies stress that the reduction reflects severe funding constraints rather than declining humanitarian needs. Officials describe the 2026 plan as a "hyper-prioritized" response focused only on the most critical and lifesaving interventions.

Of the requested amount, $247.3 million has been allocated for food assistance, $128 million for shelter support, $61.2 million for water, sanitation and hygiene services, $52.7 million for education and $49.9 million for healthcare. Another $35.1 million has been set aside for livelihood and skills- development programmes aimed at "improving refugee self-reliance and reducing long-term aid dependency".

mirmostafiz@yahoo.con