UK pledges $36m more for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh

The United Kingdom has announced $36 million in new funding to support Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, with a focus on meeting urgent needs such as food, clean water, healthcare, and protection services.

The assistance will provide life-saving services to both refugees and host communities through trusted partners on the ground, UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said in a statement today.

More than 1.2 million Rohingyas fled atrocities in Myanmar's Rakhine State to Bangladesh, with the majority arriving in 2017. Around 150,000 more have crossed the border since 2023 amid renewed fighting between the Myanmar junta and the Arakan Army.

"The UK will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that those displaced by violence have the support, protection, dignity, and opportunities they deserve," Cooper said.

She added that the renewed commitment reflects the UK's leadership in humanitarian response and its focus on building global security and recovery.

The UK has so far provided a total of $596 million since 2017 to address the crisis, including more than $154 million in support for communities in Rakhine State.

Cooper called for sustained international coordination to address the root causes of displacement and to ensure unhindered humanitarian access in Myanmar. "As well as funding the crisis response, the international community needs to do more to ensure stability in Rakhine," she said.