Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has raised alarm over the sharp decline in donor funding for Rohingya humanitarian operations, warning that the cuts have already led to school closures and the loss of thousands of teaching jobs in refugee camps.
“This is a disaster,” Prof Yunus told Unicef Executive Director Catherine Russell during a meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Monday.
“Education in the camps provided a glimmer of hope for hundreds of thousands of Rohingya children. Our concern is for these children, who are growing up as angry young people—and that anger could erupt in unpredictable ways.”
The meeting focused on the deepening crisis facing over one million Rohingya refugees currently sheltered in Bangladesh, particularly the impact of funding shortfalls on education services.
According to Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, the discussion underscored the urgent need to safeguard learning opportunities for displaced children.
Unicef chief Catherine Russell acknowledged the severity of the global funding squeeze, noting that even traditionally generous European donors are scaling back contributions to humanitarian agencies.
She encouraged the Bangladeshi government to introduce skills training programs for Rohingya youth, enabling them to apply those skills upon eventual repatriation.
Unicef Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban, also present at the meeting, highlighted the progress made in recent years.
“The level of education among Rohingya children has increased significantly,” he said, emphasizing the importance of sustaining these gains.
The leaders also discussed the upcoming High-Level Rohingya Conference at the UN headquarters, scheduled for Tuesday.
Prof Yunus urged Unicef to use the platform to advocate for continued and expanded education initiatives in the camps.
SDGs Affairs Principal Coordinator and Senior Secretary Lamiya Morshed and National Coordination Platform (NCP) senior leader Tasnim Jara also attended the meeting.