The European Union supported the World Food Programme’s lifesaving and life-changing efforts in Bangladesh with generous funding over the past two years – totaling EUR 24 million.
The support has helped WFP to strengthen its critical support to both displaced Rohingya people and Bangladeshi communities grappling with food insecurity, said a press release on Monday.
During this year’s cyclone and the monsoon season, humanitarian funding from the EU enabled WFP to respond swiftly to extreme weather events, including the devastating floods in Sylhet and Sunamganj, the Jamuna Basin floods affecting Kurigram, Jamalpur, Gaibandha, and Sirajganj, and the destruction caused by Cyclone Remal in Khulna and Barishal.
In 2023, the EU played a pivotal role in WFP’s Cyclone Mocha response, as well as in the response to flood-affected populations in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, one of Bangladesh’s most disaster-prone regions.
For the one million Rohingya people in Cox’s Bazar and Bhashan Char, the EU’s support has been instrumental in sustaining WFP’s life-saving food and nutrition assistance. It helped reverse two devastating ration cuts in 2023, enabling WFP to restore the monthly food rations to the full amount of $12.50 per person since August 2024.
In addition to emergency responses, the EU supported WFP’s anticipatory action initiatives as part of its shock-responsive social protection programme, helping communities prepare for disasters and build their resilience against future ones.
‘The European Union remains committed to standing by Bangladesh in addressing both immediate humanitarian needs and long-term challenges’, said Anna Orlandini, who oversees EU’s humanitarian operations in Bangladesh.
‘We are extremely grateful for all EU support to both the Bangladeshi and Rohingya communities,’ said Riccardo Suppo, head of programmes, WFP Bangladesh.
