Hanging by a thread The freeze on USAID programs has wreaked havoc in Bangladesh’s Rohingya refugee camps <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POlEl9RSRUZlYbrmNpaBWzbPtOxss_ToDRnSz28Nyq4swt4UnA32I8XFpe8tcWXOarLXx4i_eI3X26DiGY9_KvbfDR7Vs2JeJbYNthJicn11oaIZXcnrNeV6OfFZTCf1G8E0H0YW9Pi2cYDo3OKircSruA2Yx2finnGK2GxMf5hFqvVNrqwTF0hDFmN0KIf5S_o2kemOpLovekri31rJ0-tCH96s5RcyVYOaud5THYPhDdFnWi83bc3iKAWk2Av50fA==/Njg1LUtCTC03NjUAAAGYx15_q8rmEppOfm-4enZ-07ZU0SrFywJBdDr5Na0c-niDgUmW0TITioKeX7vCzPgnJbdB3fM=>, shuttering hospitals and threatening food, health, and sanitation services for over a million refugees. The situation was not exactly hunky-dory before. Funding was already at an all-time low, and Myanmar’s escalating civil war is making things worse. The Arakan Army’s capture of the border region has *driven thousands more Rohingya into overcrowded camps*, while repatriation talks have stalled. Crime is on the rise, with kidnappings, extortion, and violent attacks becoming disturbingly common. “The lack of food keeps people hungry and angry, fueling crimes, domestic abuse, quarrels, and a worsening mental health crisis,” warns Rohingya community volunteer Sahat Zia Hero. Food aid was already slashed in 2023, *leaving 90% of refugees without enough to eat*, and malnutrition levels at their worst since 2017. Though rations were briefly restored in 2024, the freeze threatens to undo any progress, writes Masum Billah for Devex. Despite assurances from Bangladesh’s interim government, the *Trump administration hasn’t confirmed continued support*. A memo from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentions a humanitarian waiver, but Rohingya refugees and aid workers say *the impact of the freeze is already being felt*. Five hospitals have shut down, and critical programs — including maternal health services, gender-based violence support, and sanitation efforts — are now in jeopardy. For Rohingya community volunteers like Zia Hero, *the uncertainty is devastating*. “Our opportunities have diminished. New recruitments are rare, many long-time volunteers are out of work, payments have been reduced, and multiple projects have been canceled,” he explains. As the crisis deepens, the strain on the host community is also growing, with rising security risks and worsening conditions in the camps. *Read:* USAID freeze deepens Rohingya crisis, exacerbating ‘subhuman conditions’ <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POlEl9RSRUZlYbrmNpaBWzbPtOxss_ToDRnSz28Nyq4swt4UnA32I8XFpe8tcWXOarLXx4i_eI3X26DiGY9_KvbfDR7Vs2JeJbYNthJicn11oaIZXcnrNeV6OfFZTCf1G8E0H0YW9Pi2cYDo3OKircSruA2Yx2finnGK2GxMf5hFqvVNrqwTF0hDFmN0KIf5S_o2kemOpLovekri31rJ0-tCH96s5RcyVYOaud5THYPhDSS5UIHzOok0cVzc_XMfnRg==/Njg1LUtCTC03NjUAAAGYx15_q8rmEppOfm-4enZ-07ZU0SrFywJBdDr5Na0c-niDgUmW0TITioKeX7vCzPgnJbdB3fM=>