UN warns aid cuts are forcing Rohingya refugees into traffickers’ hands
Rights experts say shrinking humanitarian aid and years of displacement in Bangladesh are driving Rohingya to attempt deadly sea crossings, with women and children facing greatest risks
DHAKA, Bangladesh (MNTV) — Deepening humanitarian funding cuts and years of uncertainty in Bangladesh’s Rohingya refugee camps are driving more refugees into the hands of human traffickers and forcing many to risk deadly sea journeys, United Nations human rights experts warned on Wednesday.
The experts urged the international community to increase support for Bangladesh, which hosts nearly 1.2 million Rohingya refugees who fled persecution in neighboring Myanmar, saying the prolonged displacement crisis has created conditions that traffickers are increasingly exploiting.
The warning comes days after reports that two boats carrying more than 500 people, most of them Rohingya, may have capsized off Myanmar’s coast after departing in late June.
Some passengers were reportedly from the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, according to the U.N. experts.
The U.N. said more than 6,500 Rohingya refugees attempted dangerous sea crossings in 2025, with an estimated 900 deaths, making the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal the world’s deadliest maritime route for refugees and migrants.
Women and children accounted for about two-thirds of those making the crossings, while roughly one in seven people attempting the journey were reported dead or missing.
The experts said worsening living conditions inside Bangladesh’s refugee camps are increasing the risks of trafficking, particularly among children and young adults.
Restrictions on formal employment, education and freedom of movement leave many Rohingya with few legal opportunities to earn a living, making them more vulnerable to criminal networks that lure victims with false promises of jobs, education or marriage.
Women and girls face particularly acute risks. According to the U.N., about one in four Rohingya women and girls living in the camps have experienced gender-based violence, while trafficking networks continue to target them for exploitation.
The experts also expressed concern over reports that Rohingya rescued at sea, including children, have in some cases been held for days in police custody without adequate legal assistance, medical care or psychosocial support despite surviving traumatic journeys in which relatives were killed or disappeared.
They warned that humanitarian agencies responding to trafficking victims and people rescued at sea are operating with reduced capacity because of severe funding shortages, limiting their ability to provide emergency protection and support.
The U.N. experts called for stronger international backing for Bangladesh’s refugee response and urged governments to expand protection measures, including access to education, healthcare, lawful employment and freedom of movement.
The argue that improving living conditions is essential to reducing the appeal of trafficking networks and preventing further loss of life at sea.
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