Australia has announced AUD 25.25 million (around US$16.3 million) in multi-year humanitarian assistance for Rohingya refugees and host communities in Bangladesh, providing fresh support as aid agencies grapple with growing global funding constraints.

The funding, covering 2026-2028, will help the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) continue life-saving assistance, protection services, skills development and disaster risk reduction programmes in the Rohingya camps, according to BSS.

The announcement was made in Dhaka in the presence of Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman and Australia's Assistant Minister for Citizenship, Customs and Multicultural Affairs and Assistant Minister for International Education Julian Hill.

Hill said Australia remained committed to addressing major humanitarian crises in the region and reiterated support for Rohingyas in both Bangladesh and Myanmar. He stressed that conditions inside Myanmar must allow for the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of displaced Rohingyas.

UNHCR's acting representative in Bangladesh, Juliette Murekeyisoni, said Australia's continued support sends an important signal that the Rohingya crisis has not been forgotten despite competing global emergencies. She added that refugees continue to seek a safe return to Myanmar with their rights, dignity and citizenship restored.

Around 1.2 million Rohingyas are currently sheltering in Bangladesh, mostly in Cox's Bazar. Humanitarian agencies say funding shortages have deepened vulnerabilities, while nearly 150,000 new arrivals since 2024 have increased pressure on already overcrowded camps. The joint statement also warned that aid gaps have contributed to risky irregular sea journeys across the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

Australia said sustained international support remains essential to ensure Rohingyas continue receiving protection and humanitarian assistance until a lasting solution to the crisis is achieved.

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