Korea has donated over 20,000 tons of rice to support Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, reaffirming its long-standing partnership with the government and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in addressing one of the world’s most protracted humanitarian crises.
The handover ceremony took place Wednesday at WFP’s Alongkar Warehouse in Chittagong, attended by Md Mostafizur Rahman, secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief; H E Young Sik Park, ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Bangladesh; and Dom Scalpelli, WFP country director.
The event also coincided with Korea’s Farmer’s Day on November 11, honoring the farmers whose efforts made the donation possible.
This is Korea’s second major rice donation for the Rohingya response, following a 15,000-ton contribution in 2024.
The new consignment, totaling 20,265 tons, was provided through the Korean Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA).
Along with the rice, MAFRA supplied fortified rice kernels enriched with essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, B1, B12, zinc, iron, and folic acid.
The fortified grains will be blended locally at a 1:100 ratio before being distributed to Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar.
According to WFP, the donation is enough to feed the entire Rohingya population, over 1.1 million people, for nearly two months. It forms part of Korea’s global contribution of 150,000 tons of rice to WFP operations in 17 countries.
Officials from Bangladesh, Korea, and WFP praised the initiative as a reflection of enduring solidarity.
“As humanitarian funding declines while needs rise, this contribution is both timely and vital,” said Md Mostafizur Rahman.
Ambassador Park described Korea’s role reversal from aid recipient to donor as “a matter of pride,” while WFP’s Dom Scalpelli called the gift “a powerful testament to compassion in action.”
The donation comes as the Rohingya crisis enters its ninth year, with over 130,000 new arrivals fleeing conflict in Myanmar’s Rakhine State since early 2024.
The WFP warns that 40% of the refugee population is now severely food insecure, while funding shortfalls threaten to disrupt relief operations by mid-2026.
Md Morshedur Rahman Talukder, director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Myanmar Wing, said the support underscores “the depth of Bangladesh–Korea ties in trade, cooperation, and shared humanitarian values.”