Border News Agency
Dhaka, June 20, 2025

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a significant food aid contribution from China to support Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, as humanitarian needs continue to grow amid dwindling international funding.

At a handover ceremony held in Dhaka, the Chinese government, through the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), officially provided essential food items including fortified rice, pulses, and cooking oil. The donation will cover three months of food assistance for around 45,000 Rohingya refugees currently living in the camps of Cox’s Bazar.

“This generous contribution from China comes at a critical time when we are struggling to secure enough resources to maintain food assistance for the refugees,” said Dom Scalpelli, WFP Country Director in Bangladesh. “It will help ensure that vulnerable families continue to receive the nutrition they need to survive.”

The aid arrives as WFP faces a serious funding shortfall. The agency urgently requires US $120 million to continue providing full food rations to over one million Rohingya refugees through October 2025. Without new contributions, WFP warns that food assistance may be scaled back again.

China’s Chargé d’Affaires in Dhaka, Dr. Liu Yuyin, emphasized Beijing’s ongoing commitment to humanitarian support, saying, “China attaches great importance to the Rohingya crisis and remains committed to helping the people in need through practical and timely assistance.”

The Rohingya crisis, now in its eighth year, has placed immense pressure on Bangladesh, which currently hosts more than one million refugees who fled persecution and violence in Myanmar. With an increase in new arrivals in recent months, the need for sustained international support has become even more urgent.

WFP called on other international donors to come forward and help maintain food assistance to one of the world’s most vulnerable refugee populations. Despite past support, including a major US $121 million contribution from the United States last year, the funding gap remains wide.

The agency stressed that without immediate funding, vital food aid may again be reduced, putting lives at risk and exacerbating the already dire humanitarian conditions in the camps.