In Bangladesh, 16 million people are facing severe levels of acute food insecurity, and 1.6 million children are acutely malnourished, says a new report by the government and development partners.
The Ministry of Food, together with UN agencies – the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef), and the World Food Program (WFP) – as well as non-governmental organizations Action Against Hunger and Save the Children, on Wednesday convened a multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder workshop to disseminate the findings of the latest national analysis on acute food insecurity and acute malnutrition.
In 2024, the same analysis revealed that 23.5 million people in Bangladesh were facing high levels of food insecurity.
Thanks to a coordinated approach that brought together government ministries, humanitarian actors, and development partners, the situation has improved significantly, as evident in the notable reduction in 2025. However, these efforts must not only continue but also be strengthened to ensure lasting change, says a press release issued on Wednesday.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) is a globally recognized tool that helps governments and humanitarian actors understand the severity and geographic spread of food insecurity and malnutrition.
It uses a standardized set of protocols, methods and collaborative analysis to classify populations into five phases – from Minimal (Phase 1) to Stressed (Phase 2), Crisis (Phase 3), Emergency (Phase 4), and Catastrophe/Famine (Phase 5) – based on evidence of food consumption gaps, malnutrition, and coping strategies.
Conducted in April 2025, using the IPC methodology, the analysis reveals that between May and December 2025, an estimated 16 million people across 36 districts of Bangladesh and in the Rohingya camps – 17% of the 96 million people analyzed – are projected to face Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse (Emergency, IPC Phase 4) levels of food insecurity. Among them, 361,000 people are expected to be in Emergency conditions, requiring urgent humanitarian assistance to meet their basic food needs.
In 2025, the highest incidence of acute food insecurity was observed in Cox’s Bazar, where both host communities of the Rohingya refugees, particularly in Ukhiya and Teknaf, and surrounding local populations are experiencing high levels of food insecurity, with 30% of the population classified in IPC Phase 3.
Beyond these refugee-hosting areas, several other districts across Bangladesh are also at high risk, including Sunamganj, Barguna, Bandarban, Noakhali, and Satkhira, where around 25% of people are classified in Phase 3.
Among the Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char, around 445,692 people, representing 40% of the analyzed refugee population, are projected to face Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse (IPC Phase 4) conditions.
According to the analysis, key drivers of food insecurity include climatic shocks such as the widespread flooding in 2024, which severely disrupted livelihoods and slowed recovery; economic shocks, including persistent inflation and market volatility that weakened purchasing power, especially for low-income groups; and humanitarian funding cuts combined with increased needs among the Rohingya population.
The analysis also highlights a worrying nutrition crisis: among children aged 6–59 months, 1.6 million are suffering or expected to suffer from acute malnutrition throughout 2025.
This includes nearly 144,000 cases of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), a life-threatening condition that requires immediate intervention, and about 1.4 million cases of Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM).
Furthermore, nearly 117,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition in the same period.
This is the first time that the IPC Acute Malnutrition analysis has been conducted in Bangladesh, covering 18 disaster-prone districts across seven divisions, as well as the Rohingya refugees.
“The latest IPC analysis provides us with a sobering picture of the current state of food security and nutrition in Bangladesh. With 16 million people facing high levels of acute food insecurity and over 1.6 million children suffering from acute malnutrition, the urgency to act is clear,” said Md Masudul Hasan, secretary to the Ministry of Food.
“Today’s workshop is a vital step in ensuring that these findings are not just reviewed but translated into coordinated action. The government of Bangladesh is committed to using this evidence to guide policy, strengthen response systems, and protect the most vulnerable – together with the UN agencies and development partners,” added the secretary.
Key recommendations of the analysis include delivering life-saving humanitarian assistance to populations in emergency conditions; expanding shock-responsive social safety nets for vulnerable groups; providing emergency agricultural and livestock support; supporting livelihood restoration, especially in flood-affected areas; among others.
“The findings of the IPC analysis are concerning, especially for rural and coastal communities whose livelihoods depend on agriculture and fisheries,” said Abu Tahir Muhammad Zaber, secretary to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock.
“We are committed to working with all partners to strengthen food systems, improve access to nutritious foods, and build resilience against climate shocks. It is imperative that we act swiftly and collectively to protect the most vulnerable and ensure that no one is left behind in our efforts to achieve food security and better nutrition for all,” he added.
The IPC analysis is built on rigorous data and a collaborative process involving government agencies, UN partners, NGOs, and technical experts. The workshop brought together many stakeholders to raise awareness on the findings, build consensus, and support their integration into national planning and response strategies.
