Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus has warned the United Nations that the Rohingya refugee crisis is on the brink of collapse as international aid dries up. He urged immediate global action to prevent what he called a “catastrophic situation.”
The country is currently sheltering approximately 1.3 million Rohingya refugees. Most fled a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar in 2017, which UN investigators described as a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing.” These refugees now live in overcrowded bamboo shelters in Cox’s Bazar, facing shrinking aid, closed schools, and little hope of returning home.
Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who took power after mass protests, stated that the ongoing conflict in Myanmar threatens regional stability and any chance of a safe return for the Rohingya. He warned that severe ration cuts could soon slash food support to just $6 per person, deepening hunger and insecurity in the camps.
He called on existing donors to increase their contributions and for new donors to step forward with generous aid. Eight years into the crisis, Yunus emphasized that persecution in Myanmar’s Rakhine state continues, and a political settlement securing equal rights and citizenship for the Rohingya minority is urgently needed.
Describing Bangladesh as “the second victim after the persecuted Rohingya,” Yunus insisted the issue is an international responsibility. He urged neighboring countries and the global community to pressure Myanmar’s military and ethnic armed groups for change.
Yunus expressed hope that a high-level UN conference would mobilize new funding and create a time-bound roadmap toward permanent solutions. The pressure has intensified over the past year, with an additional 150,000 people fleeing Rakhine state amid escalating fighting.