New Delhi, May 2 (IANS). Bangladesh was among the 10 countries in the world most affected by acute food insecurity in the year 2025. According to a new report, about 16 million citizens of the country faced high levels of food crisis and the situation is unlikely to improve even in 2026.
The report published by Daily Star, citing the ‘Global Report on Food Crisis’ of UN agencies, says that the situation of these 10 countries is not expected to improve even in 2026 due to supply chain disruptions related to conflict, climate disasters, economic instability and the Middle East crisis.
According to the report, nearly two-thirds of the 266 million people facing acute food insecurity worldwide last year were in these 10 countries.
The list includes Afghanistan, Myanmar, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Republic of Congo, Nigeria, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
The report said half of the world’s poorest people live in five countries, including Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nigeria, facing chronic food crises. Persistent economic weakness is reducing people’s tolerance at the domestic and national levels.
The conflict has been cited as the biggest cause of severe hunger, pushing half of the affected people into crisis. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appealed to increase investment in relief aid and end the conflict.
However, it is a matter of some relief for Bangladesh that the number of people facing acute food insecurity in 2025 decreased by 32 percent compared to the previous year.
The report also expressed concern over the deteriorating situation of forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals in two districts of Bangladesh. The situation has been worsened by new influx of Rohingya refugees, floods and cuts in humanitarian aid.
According to the report, more than 39 million people in 32 countries are facing emergency levels of food insecurity, while the number of people facing catastrophic hunger has increased nine-fold since 2016.
Also, in the year 2025, about 3.55 crore children will be victims of acute malnutrition, of which about 1 crore children will be suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
Acute food insecurity means that one or more aspects of food availability, access, use or stability are affected to such an extent that people’s livelihoods are at risk.
–IANS
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