The United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development,yesterday  announced $18.4 million to the UN World Food Program to provide emergency food assistance to Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar district, reports UNB. This latest contribution, combined with earlier contributions, brings the total amount awarded to the World Food Program specifically for work with refugees in Bangladesh to more than$24million since August last year.

Total US government humanitarian assistance for all entities working with displaced people in and from Myanmar in the region is more than$177million since October 2016, said the US Embassy in Dhaka. Food insecurity and malnutrition remain serious concerns in Cox's Bazar, it said.

More than 62,800 children under five are in need of treatment for acute malnutrition and 120,000 pregnant and lactating women need nutrition assistance USAID Mission Director Janina Jaruzelski said USAID is pleased to support the Government of Bangladesh's commendable efforts in assisting the Rohingyas by funding this emergency food assistance.

This assistance will give the most vulnerable people the nutrition services they need to survive and will target upwards of 36,000 children under five to help fight acute malnutrition and child mortality, she said.