The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) will increase the food ration from $8 to $10 per person per month to the Rohingya population, and gradually add locally fortified rice to its food assistance package.
This programme will commence in one or two camps and gradually extend to all camps in Coxs Bazar and on Bhasan Char Island, a WFP release said on Sunday.
A sharp decline in resources led to a reduction in the Rohingyas food entitlement in 2023. In March, the food voucher value for the entire population in the Coxs Bazar camps was reduced from US$12 to US$10, and in June, to US$8 per person per month.
Even before the ration cut, 40 percent of children under five were chronically malnourished and 12 percent were acutely malnourished.
"The year 2023 was a tumultuous one for the Rohingya in Bangladesh, who lived through multiple fire outbreaks, cyclones, and, for the first time, ration cuts. The rapid deterioration of the food and nutrition situation in the camps is extremely worrying. Through all this, the donor community stood with the Rohingya - its all thanks to its generous contributions we can now have this increase and also add locally fortified rice to WFPs food assistance package," said Dom Scalpelli, WFP Country Director in Bangladesh.
