Trump’s Aid Cuts Leave Rohingya Plates Half-Empty in Bangladesh

Over one million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh’s overcrowded camps are bracing for a drastic reduction in food rations, a direct fallout of President Donald Trump’s sweeping foreign aid cuts. On January 20, 2025, Trump’s executive order halted most U.S. aid and dismantled USAID, freezing funds for a 90-day review. This decision has crippled global humanitarian efforts, with the World Food Programme (WFP) announcing that, starting April 1, monthly food vouchers for Rohingya in Cox’s Bazar will drop from $12.50 to $6—a 50% cut.

The U.S., historically the largest donor to the Rohingya crisis, contributed $300 million in 2024, nearly half the total aid. Trump’s rollback has left a gaping funding hole, forcing the WFP to slash rations despite unclear direct linkage. Shamsud Douza, Bangladesh’s additional refugee relief commissioner, warned, “This will greatly affect them… less nutritious food may lead to malnutrition, social unrest, and mental pressure.” Refugees like 40-year-old Manzur Ahmed echo this despair: “With 700 taka ($6), how will I buy rice, salt, or oil? I’m scared for my family.”

Beyond food, Trump’s cuts have slashed medical services. Dildar Begum, 32, noted, “Hospitals now only treat emergencies—no medicine for the unwell.” The interim Bangladesh government insists Rohingya funding persists, but other USAID-supported projects have stalled, amplifying the crisis. Over 700,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar’s 2017 “clearance operation,” with 70,000 more arriving in 2024 amid ongoing conflict. Trump’s “America First” policy, prioritizing allies over need, threatens these stateless refugees’ survival, pushing them toward hunger and instability as Bangladesh presses for their return to Myanmar, accused of genocide.