Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi host communities alike live in an area highly susceptible to flooding, landslides, cyclones and other weather shocks, says UN official Gwyn Lewis
“As we reach the mid-year point, the Joint Response Plan remains critically underfunded at less than 20%,” said UN Resident Coordinator Gwyn Lewis from Cox’s Bazar camps, adding that they will prioritise, but they cannot abandon the Rohingya refugees in their time of need.
In 2025, humanitarian agencies have appealed for $934 million to support nearly 1.48 million people, including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshis in neighboring communities.
“Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi host communities alike live in an area highly susceptible to flooding, landslides, cyclones and other weather shocks,” said Lewis, noting that preparing for these disasters is not just essential, it is lifesaving.
The UN said: “Monsoon preparedness usually starts before May, but partners could not take these measures because of the shortfall. Torrential rains marking the start of the monsoon season hit the crowded refugee camps this weekend, damaging thousands of Rohingya shelters.
“In just two days, some 53 landslides were reported across the 33 camps, damaging over 1,400 homes in combination with floods and strong winds. Tragically, one refugee was killed as a wall collapsed, while lightning strikes reportedly injured 11.”
“Steep slopes, floods and makeshift shelters make a dangerous mix in such a densely populated place, while strong winds risk further weakening shelters made of bamboo and tarpaulin,” said Juliette Murekeyisoni, interim UNHCR representative.
“Refugee volunteers have been helping families in affected areas to relocate to safer locations and communal facilities,” she added. “But we need more space for shelters.”
The UN continued: “Communal spaces are being used to temporarily host affected families. However, even before the monsoon, there was not enough space to provide shelters to all — especially as thousands of newly arrived Rohingya have sought asylum here in recent months, fleeing targeted violence and persecution in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
“Many have been housed by relatives, who now struggle to keep their crowded homes dry. With the monsoon season running from end of May through August, humanitarian partners have been working proactively to mitigate the risk, including pre-positioning humanitarian supplies such as tarpaulins and rope to secure them, sleeping mats, water purification tablets and jerrycans.”
“Refugee volunteers trained in first aid or search and rescue stand ready to assist with evacuations, distributing relief items, and referring those in need of care.”
However, a critical funding shortfall threatens the ability of humanitarian actors to meet urgent needs and fully implement the required preparatory actions, said the UNHCR.
Meanwhile, the education of around 230,000 Rohingya refugee children is under threat due to an acute and deepening funding crisis, Unicef warned this week.
Without immediate and sustained financial aid, support across all areas for the refugees is at risk, including critical foundational learning opportunities for children in the world’s largest refugee settlement could be lost, the UN said.
In recent months, Unicef has faced a significant decline in humanitarian funding for its operations in the Rohingya refugee response, affecting the education of 83% of school-age children in the camps, who are enrolled in Unicef-supported learning centers.
Despite exhaustive efforts to attract new resources and reprioritize activities, funding gaps have forced Unicef to take painful decisions, including suspending support for host community volunteer teachers working with kindergarten to grade 2 learners.
A total of 1,179 host community volunteer teachers will see their contracts ended with Unicef’s implementing partners by June 30.
“The children we are speaking about are among the most vulnerable in the world,” said Rana Flowers, Unicef Representative in Bangladesh.
“We are doing everything possible to sustain critical education services, and UNICEF has been able to attract some other funding – but unfortunately there will be a delay in receiving this and thus Unicef is forced to close learning facilities temporarily. Without urgent funding, the learning facilities may remain closed, and an entire generation of Rohingya children risks being left behind.”
Due to the lack of funding, learning facilities will remain closed until at least the end of June, in line with an extended Eid holiday period.
Reopening beyond that will depend entirely on the availability of new funds.
Early grade learners (kindergarten to Grade 2) will no longer be taught English, science or social studies in the next academic year. Only core foundational subjects—literacy (Rohingya), Burmese, mathematics, life skills and socio-emotional learning—will be prioritised.
No new textbooks or teacher guides will be procured for the 2025–2026 academic year.
Children will be asked to reuse materials from previous years, regardless of their condition.
End-of-year assessments and placement tests have been cancelled. Volunteer teachers will not receive paid holidays and may only continue teaching on a voluntary basis until funding is restored.
