Australia has committed AUD 25.25 million in multi-year humanitarian funding to support Rohingya refugees and host communities in Bangladesh, reaffirming its commitment to one of the world’s largest and most protracted refugee crises.
The funding, announced jointly by the Government of Australia and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on Sunday, will provide life-saving assistance and protection for Rohingya refugees under Australia’s 2026–2028 humanitarian assistance programme.
The announcement was made in the presence of Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman and Australia’s Assistant Minister for Citizenship, Customs and Multicultural Affairs and Assistant Minister for International Education, Julian Hill, according to a press release.
The flexible, multi-year contribution will enable UNHCR and its partners to continue delivering essential services across Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar, including protection activities, skills development programmes and disaster risk reduction initiatives for refugees living in fragile and disaster-prone areas.
The funding comes at a time when humanitarian agencies are grappling with shrinking global aid budgets and increasing financial pressure, providing what UNHCR described as a predictable and critical lifeline for nearly 1.2 million Rohingya refugees and the Bangladeshi communities hosting them.
Australia reaffirms commitment
Assistant Minister Julian Hill said Australia remained committed to addressing the region’s most pressing humanitarian crises.
“Australia continues to respond to the most significant humanitarian crises in our region, making our region safer, more stable and resilient,” he said.
He reiterated Australia’s support for Rohingya refugees in both Bangladesh and Myanmar, stressing that the displaced population wished to return home but that conditions in Myanmar must first allow for a voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return.
“These conditions can only be achieved by addressing the root causes of the crisis in Myanmar,” he added.
UNHCR warns against fading global attention
UNHCR Representative a.i. in Bangladesh Juliette Murekeyisoni warned that the Rohingya crisis risked slipping from international attention as newer humanitarian emergencies emerged elsewhere.
“Australia’s continued support sends a strong message that the Rohingya people have not been forgotten,” she said.
She noted that virtually every Rohingya refugee she had spoken to expressed a desire to return home safely with their rights and dignity restored.
“Until conditions in Myanmar allow for voluntary, safe and dignified return with full citizenship, the international community must remain steadfast in its support,” she said.
Support for refugees and host communities
Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Susan Ryle said the latest contribution would help provide critical assistance to the most vulnerable refugees, particularly women, girls and people living with disabilities.
“Australia remains committed to supporting Rohingya refugees and their host communities in Bangladesh,” she said.
Funding gaps deepen humanitarian challenges
Since the mass displacement triggered by widespread violence and persecution in Myanmar in 2017, approximately 1.2 million Rohingya refugees have remained in Bangladesh, with most living in densely populated camps in Cox’s Bazar.
Humanitarian agencies said persistent funding shortages had intensified vulnerabilities, forcing many refugees to resort to risky coping mechanisms, including dangerous sea journeys in search of better opportunities.
According to recent reports cited by UNHCR, nearly 900 Rohingya refugees were reported missing or died in 2025 while attempting perilous crossings across the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
The new Australian funding aims to strengthen protection services and expand access to essential assistance, reducing the need for such dangerous migration.
Growing needs amid new arrivals
UNHCR said humanitarian funding shortages continue to disproportionately affect women, girls, older people and persons with disabilities.
Since 2024, an estimated 150,000 newly arrived Rohingya refugees have entered the camps, many of whom still lack adequate shelter and access to essential services, including clean cooking fuel.
The agency stressed that while meeting immediate humanitarian needs remains a priority, expanding education and skills development opportunities is equally important to strengthen refugees’ resilience and prepare them for long-term solutions.
UNHCR also reiterated that sustained international solidarity would remain essential until durable solutions are achieved, ensuring Rohingya refugees can live safely and with dignity while awaiting conditions that would allow their voluntary return to Myanmar.
