Its a Crime! UN Chief Slams Aid Cuts During Rohingya Camp Visit

UN Secretary-General António Guterres labeled recent humanitarian aid cuts by the United States and European nations to Bangladesh a “crime” during a visit to Rohingya refugee camps on Friday. Speaking in Cox’s Bazar, home to over 1 million Rohingya fleeing Myanmar, Guterres called the region “ground zero” for the devastating impact of slashed budgets on vulnerable populations.

His four-day trip to Bangladesh, coinciding with Ramadan, aims to spotlight the refugees’ plight amid looming funding shortages.

More than 700,000 Rohingya arrived in 2017, joined by 70,000 more in 2024 after clashes in Myanmar’s Rakhine state displaced them further. The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) warns that without $81 million by year-end—including $15 million for April—food rations will drop from $12.50 to $6 per month starting next month. Guterres vowed to rally global support to prevent this, decrying Western nations’ prioritization of defense spending over humanitarian aid.

In Dhaka, Guterres met Bangladesh’s interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, who assumed power after a 2024 uprising. Yunus urged UN assistance for repatriating Rohingya to Myanmar, their “homeland,” and stressed global awareness of their suffering. Guterres echoed this, urging Myanmar’s warring factions to protect civilians and foster conditions for return.

The U.S., historically the largest donor, provided nearly half of the $300 million spent on Rohingya aid in 2024. With repatriation stalled by Myanmar’s conflicts and alleged genocide, Bangladesh insists it’s the only lasting solution.