The UNHCR’s warning that nearly 8.3 million refugees and other forcibly displaced people are at risk of losing vital assistance because of severe funding cuts should concern us all, and is yet another sign of justice only being spoken of but not translating into action.
This is particularly significant for Bangladesh and the Rohingya community within it. Nearly 1.2 million Rohingya refugees remain in Bangladesh, with conditions in Myanmar still unsuitable for safe, voluntary, and dignified repatriation. At the same time, humanitarian resources are shrinking.
This is a dangerous combination: Bangladesh has continued to host the Rohingya despite the enormous pressure the crisis places on its resources, local communities, and public services. Yet humanitarian assistance cannot be allowed to diminish simply because the crisis has lasted for years.
It must be understood that a prolonged crisis does not become a less serious one, and scaling back humanitarian agency assistance has real-life impacts on people who are already among the world’s most vulnerable.
UNHCR’s own figures underline the strain on the Bangladesh response: Its 2026 appeal for the Rohingya response was reduced to $710.5 million -- 26% below the previous year -- covering only the minimum required for lifesaving assistance.
There must, therefore, be greater international responsibility-sharing. Funding for food, healthcare, shelter, education and protection must be sustained, particularly for children and other vulnerable groups.
Aid cuts should not become another factor pushing desperate refugees towards dangerous coping mechanisms or irregular journeys.
At the same time, humanitarian funding cannot substitute for a political solution. The ultimate goal must remain safe, voluntary, dignified, and sustainable repatriation to Myanmar, and international pressure must continue to address the conditions that have made return impossible.
The UNHCR warning is a reminder that humanitarian crises do not disappear when attention moves elsewhere. For Bangladesh, the message is especially clear: The Rohingya cannot be forgotten, and neither can the international responsibility to help resolve their plight.
