Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh | November 26, 2025
The Republic of Korea has provided five million dollars to the International Organization for Migration to improve essential services for Rohingya refugees living in camps across Cox’s Bazar. The contribution aims to support daily needs such as water, sanitation and cooking fuel at a time when more than 420,000 people continue to live in crowded and fragile conditions eight years after the mass displacement from Rakhine State.
IOM said the new funding will strengthen water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in seven camps. The organisation plans to repair water supply systems, clear drainage lines and make toilets safer and more accessible for women, girls, older people and persons with disabilities.
A Rohingya mother in Camp 10 said water shortages create daily stress for families. She said the water supply often stops for long hours and residents must hurry with their buckets when the flow resumes. She hopes the new support will make the supply more reliable and reduce the long waits that families endure.
The assistance will also support the continued distribution of LPG to forty one thousand five hundred families in seventeen camps. LPG has become a central part of daily survival in the camps because it allows families to cook safely and reduces dependence on firewood. Rohingya women say collecting firewood exposes them to risks, especially in the early morning or late evening when they must walk through isolated areas.
Korean Ambassador Park Young Sik said Korea is standing firmly with the Rohingya community again this year. He said the financial contribution and a separate shipment of rice demonstrate Korea’s commitment to supporting vulnerable communities and working with partners toward long term solutions.
IOM Bangladesh Chief of Mission Lance Bonneau welcomed the support and said the contribution will directly improve the safety and dignity of refugees who depend on humanitarian aid for basic needs.
Korea has supported the Rohingya response since 2017 through programmes in health, protection and essential services. Officials said the latest contribution is a reminder that the international community continues to stand by the refugees living in Cox’s Bazar even as their struggle enters its eighth year.
