Rice Donation from Republic of Korea Provides a Major Boost to WFP’s Food Assistance for Rohingya in Bangladesh

COX’S BAZAR— The World Food Programme (WFP) has received a significant rice donation from the Republic of Korea (ROK) for its lifesaving assistance for the Rohingya population in Bangladesh. Today, an official handover ceremony of 15,000 MT of rice from ROK was held at WFP's Maduchara Logistics Hub in Cox’s Bazar.

The Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Bangladesh, H.E. Young Sik Park; Director of the Food Grain Policy Division at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) of Korea, Sang Moon Byun; Director of Korea Agro-Fisheries Food and Trade Corporation (aT), Danbee Lee; Md Kamrul Hasan, ndc, Secretary, Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR); Md Hasan Sarwar, Additional Secretary, MoDMR, and Head of Rohingya Cell; Md. Mohsin, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Food; Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC); and WFP Country Director Dom Scalpelli were present at the handover ceremony.

The humanitarian response to the Rohingya crisis has been led by the Government of Bangladesh since 2017, with the support of the international and humanitarian communities.

Since 2018, the Government of Korea, through MAFRA, has been making steady contributions to WFP’s humanitarian responses around the world. In 2024, the contribution doubled from 50,000 MT to        100,000 MT, enabling WFP to assist some 7 million people across 11 countries, including WFP Bangladesh.

Out of this, 15,000 MT of rice has been donated to Bangladesh for the first time, sufficient to feed around one million Rohingya for 1.5 months. The rice will undergo fortification to enhance its nutritional value before being distributed to Rohingya families in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char Island camps.

Md. Kamrul Hasan, ndc, Secretary, MoDMR said, “This humanitarian aid was very much needed from the Republic of Korea, as we struggled to feed the Rohingya last year. We are very much thankful for the longstanding partnership with Korea.”

"The Republic of Korea is dedicated to supporting humanitarian crises globally, particularly protracted ones. We commend the Government of Bangladesh for its steadfast commitment to the entire Rohingya population seeking refuge in their country over the years. With this donation, we help restore the full ration, alleviate hunger and malnutrition, and contribute to their overall well-being. We take pride in standing with WFP and the people and Government of Bangladesh in this vital mission," remarked Sang Moon BYUN, Director of the Food Grain Policy Division, MAFRA.

"The donation is extremely timely and crucial to our efforts to restore the full ration for the Rohingya population. As their vulnerabilities continue to deepen amid reduced funding, unrelenting climate shocks, repeated hazards, and deteriorating security, our collective responsibility is to ensure their basic needs are met until they can go home safely one day. We thank MAFRA for this significant contribution and the Korean public for their solidarity with the Rohingya people," said Dom Scalpelli, WFP Country Director.

Following the handover ceremony, the Korean delegation visited an e-voucher outlet in the camps to observe the distribution of the rice donation. They also toured a rice fortification plant in Cox’s Bazar, where the Korean rice is fortified.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has received a donation of 15,000 MT of rice from the Republic of Korea (ROK) for its lifesaving assistance for the Rohingya population in Bangladesh.

In the photo, (from left) Emmanuela Frank Bethuel Mashayo, Head of Area Office, Cox’s Bazar, WFP Bangladesh; Md. Mohsin, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Food; Md Hasan Sarwar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR), and Head of Rohingya Cell; Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC); Md Kamrul Hasan, ndc, Secretary, MoDMR; Dom Scalpelli, Country Director, WFP Bangladesh;  Seokjin HAN, Director; H.E. Young Sik Park, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Bangladesh; Sang Moon Byun, Director of the Food Grain Policy Division at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) of Korea; David Bugden, Principal Coordinator, Inter Sector Coordination Group.

For more information please contact:
Tareq Salahuddin, Communications Officer, WFP Bangladesh, tareq.salahuddin@wfp.org