The European Union has provided an additional €2 million to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) in Bangladesh, helping sustain critical food and nutrition assistance for Rohingya refugees and their host communities amid a growing humanitarian funding crunch.
The latest contribution, channelled through the European Commission’s Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), brings the EU’s total support to WFP Bangladesh in 2025 to €15.3 million.
EU officials said the funding reaffirms the bloc’s long-standing commitment to the Rohingya response, even as humanitarian needs rise globally.
“2025 has been a challenging year for humanitarian operations worldwide,” said Davide Zappa, Head of EU Humanitarian Aid in Bangladesh. “Yet the European Union remains firmly committed to the Rohingya and their host communities. Solidarity and support for people in crisis are at the heart of the EU’s founding principles.”
Through its e-voucher programme, WFP currently provides life-saving food assistance to nearly 1.2 million Rohingya refugees living in camps in Cox’s Bazar, including around 140,000 new arrivals between 2024 and 2025. Under the system, each refugee receives food assistance worth $12 per person per month, allowing families to purchase staple and fresh food items from designated outlets.
Beyond food assistance, WFP delivers nutrition support to prevent and treat malnutrition among children and pregnant and breastfeeding women, provides school meals to around 260,000 Rohingya children aged between four and 14, and implements resilience-building activities for both refugee and host communities.
WFP Bangladesh Country Director a.i. Simone Lawson Parchment welcomed the EU’s contribution, warning that humanitarian needs continue to outpace available resources.
“Only with commitments like this can WFP keep pace with growing needs, helping Rohingya families meet their essential needs while preserving their dignity,” she said, adding that such support will be even more critical in 2026.
Now entering its ninth year, the Rohingya crisis faces mounting challenges, including a sharp decline in international funding. WFP has warned that it is facing a $147 million funding shortfall for its food and nutrition programmes in 2026, raising the risk of assistance disruptions as early as April if new funds are not secured.
The Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh remain the world’s largest and most protracted refugee settlement, with humanitarian agencies repeatedly urging sustained international support to prevent further deterioration of food security and nutrition conditions.
