COX’S BAZAR, Sept 07 (V7N) — South Korea has provided Bangladesh with 15,000 metric tonnes of rice to support food assistance for Rohingya refugees, along with 150 metric tonnes of fortified rice kernels containing essential vitamins and minerals.
The rice and fortified rice kernels were handed over to the World Food Programme (WFP) at a ceremony held on Thursday at the agency’s Sagarika warehouse in Chattogram.
The food assistance, provided through South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA), will be used by the WFP in its food assistance programme for Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar.
According to the WFP, South Korea previously provided 15,000 metric tonnes of rice for Rohingya refugees in 2024 and a further 20,265 metric tonnes in 2025.
The 150 metric tonnes of fortified rice kernels included in the latest assistance will be mixed with regular rice before distribution. The addition is expected to improve the nutritional value of the food, particularly helping meet the nutritional needs of children and other vulnerable groups.
At the handover ceremony, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief A.B.M. Shafiqul Haider expressed gratitude to the Government and people of South Korea.
He said South Korea’s assistance during the Rohingya crisis was an example of the partnership between the two countries.
South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Kim Ji-jun said his country would continue its support for Rohingya refugees through rice and fortified rice kernels.
He expressed hope that the assistance would also contribute to improving the nutritional condition of the refugees.
Coco Ushiyama, WFP Representative and Country Director in Bangladesh, said humanitarian needs were increasing while funding for humanitarian assistance was declining.
“At this time, South Korea’s support will help ensure continued food supplies for Rohingya families,” she said.
She added that the fortified rice kernels would also improve the nutritional value of the food assistance.
The WFP said nearly 1.2 million Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar currently depend on humanitarian assistance, while their opportunities to earn a livelihood remain limited.
Conditions for their safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation to Myanmar have yet to be established. As a result, continued international support remains crucial to maintaining food and nutrition assistance for the refugees.
South Korea and the WFP have maintained a cooperation partnership for more than six decades. In 2025, South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs provided a total of 150,000 metric tonnes of rice to support WFP operations in 17 countries, including Bangladesh.
As the Rohingya crisis enters its tenth year, the WFP has stressed the continued need for international support to ensure food and nutrition assistance for the refugee population.
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