Rohingya Genocide Survivors Face Acute Hunger and Neglect in Bangladesh Camps.

Report by Rohingya Political Journalist Saiful Arakani - Cox’s Bazar Bangladesh.

Date:11-12-2025.

Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, Thousands of newly arrived Rohingya refugees, who escaped ongoing violence and genocide in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, are facing a worsening humanitarian crisis in the refugee camps of Teknaf and Ukhiya. According to findings from the ground, 40% of new arrivals who fled since June 2024 remain without food assistance, proper shelter, or official documentation, leaving them in extreme distress.

These Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh to escape deadly attacks by the Arakan Army (AA) and Myanmar junta forces. But after reaching Bangladesh to save their lives, many are now trapped in severe hardship due to lack of support.

Refugees report that UNHCR, WFP, and NGOs have not reached many new-arrival shelters in Teknaf since 7 August 2024, leaving thousands completely unassisted. While 40% of the new arrivals have received food tokens and undergone biometric registration, the other 40% remain outside the system, with 60% reporting they have not received food since 2024.

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As a result, many families are begging door-to-door for food, a situation they describe as humiliating and life-threatening. With no UNHCR documents, they also face barriers in accessing medical care, movement within the camps, and legal protection.

Camps Overwhelmed Camp 26 Hit Hardest. Investigation shows that Camp 26 in Teknaf currently has the highest number of new Rohingya arrivals among the 33 refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar. Aid workers say the influx has stretched the already limited resources beyond capacity.

This crisis is not limited to Camp 26—similar conditions are reported in all 33 camps, where thousands are living under makeshift shelters without food, clean water, or healthcare.

Concerns Over Mismanagement and Misidentification, Refugees allege that the UNHCR’s new-refugee list includes some Bangladeshi nationals and old Rohingyas living in Bangladesh, who are collecting food tokens under the guise of new arrivals. Meanwhile, genuine genocide survivors remain excluded.

Community leaders say this mismanagement has deepened the suffering of newly arrived Rohingyas, calling for immediate verification and fair distribution.

Distance from Cox’s Bazar Limits International Monitoring. Many of the worst-hit camps are in Teknaf, over 78 km from Cox’s Bazar town. Because of the long distance and security concerns, international journalists, researchers, and activists rarely visit these camps, allowing the crisis to worsen without global attention.

Rohingya refugees are now appealing to the United Nations, UNHCR, and global humanitarian bodies to conduct an urgent investigation into the failure to register and assist new arrivals.

Under the 1951 Geneva Refugee Convention, the UN is responsible for ensuring the safety, security, and access to food and protection for forcibly displaced populations. However, refugees say these obligations are not being met.

“We escaped genocide to save our lives, but now we are starving here,” one new arrival said. “Without documents, we cannot get food, help, or medicine. Please do not let us die in the camps.”

The situation remains critical, with aid organizations warned that without immediate intervention, the humanitarian conditions for new arrivals may continue to deteriorate rapidly.