Photo: UNHCR

DHAKA, June 2, 2026 (BSS) – UNHCR today urged the international community to maintain support for more than 1.2 million Rohingyas sheltered in Bangladesh, warning that funding shortages could worsen humanitarian conditions and undermine critical assistance programmes.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) called on the international community not to forget the Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh as the world approaches nine years since the mass displacement of Rohingyas from Myanmar.

In a statement issued in Geneva, UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch said Bangladesh continues to host one of the world’s largest refugee populations, with the majority residing in camps in Cox’s Bazar.

He said Bangladesh has provided protection and humanitarian support to successive waves of Rohingyas fleeing persecution in Myanmar’s Rakhine State since the late 1970s. 

The largest influx occurred in August 2017 when around 750,000 Rohingyas crossed into Bangladesh following violence in Myanmar.

Baloch acknowledged the support extended by Bangladesh and the international community over the years, saying humanitarian assistance has helped meet Rohingya’s basic needs while ensuring access to education, healthcare and protection services.

The appeal comes amid mounting global humanitarian pressures and competing crises that have strained international resources and threatened assistance programmes for vulnerable populations.

Last month, the United Nations and its humanitarian partners, in coordination with the Bangladesh government, launched a joint appeal seeking US$710.5 million to meet the most urgent needs of Rohingya refugees and host communities.

Despite growing humanitarian needs, the appeal was reduced by 26 percent from last year’s funding request as aid agencies prioritised the most critical interventions.

UNHCR warned that significant humanitarian needs persist and that the situation could deteriorate further without continued international solidarity and financial support.

According to the agency, Rohingyas remain heavily dependent on humanitarian assistance amid declining development and aid funding. 

Reduced support and limited livelihood opportunities continue to affect refugee households, particularly women, girls, older persons and people with disabilities.

The agency also highlighted the situation of nearly 150,000 Rohingyas who fled renewed violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State since early 2024 and sought refuge in Bangladesh.

Baloch said continued violence, persecution and conflict inside Myanmar have diminished prospects for the voluntary repatriation of Rohingya refugees, forcing many to undertake dangerous sea journeys in search of safety and opportunities elsewhere in the region.

He noted that 2025 was the deadliest year on record for such voyages, with nearly 900 Rohingya refugees reported dead or missing in the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

The UNHCR spokesperson stressed that investment in resilience and self-reliance programmes remains essential to preserving refugees’ dignity, sustaining hope and reducing long-term dependence on humanitarian aid.

He said the humanitarian appeal has so far secured around 60 percent of the required funding, but cautioned that maintaining only minimum levels of assistance could lead to more severe humanitarian consequences and higher costs in the future.

Baloch urged the international community to continue standing in solidarity with Rohingyas and their host communities and to intensify efforts to create conditions conducive to their voluntary, safe and dignified return to Myanmar.