Trump Era Aid Cuts Devastate Bangladesh's Fight Against Tuberculosis and Refugee Crisis**

With the abrupt termination of most USAID programs, families like Kajol's face a dire future as their medical treatment halts, and critical aid for displaced persons diminishes, piling pressure on an already strained healthcare system.**

In a chilling turn of events, families across Bangladesh are grappling with the fallout of drastic cuts to US foreign aid, which have placed lives at risk. Kajol, a 17-year-old garment worker and sole provider for her family, was fighting tuberculosis when essential support from USAID was abruptly withdrawn due to the Trump administration's funding cuts. Tuberculosis, a disease rarely seen in affluent nations, remains rampant in impoverished communities like Mohammadpur, Dhaka, where Kajol lives.

“It could have been devastating,” Kajol noted, recalling how local aid worker Dipa Halder intervened to secure her treatment over the past few months. Dipa, who coordinated vital initiatives with funds from USAID, has seen her efforts curtailed as 113 projects across Bangladesh halted due to funding suspensions. The consequences are grave; incomplete treatment increases the risk of drug-resistant tuberculosis, which compounds the public health issue.

A US government performance report revealed that in 2023, USAID directly facilitated the identification of over 250,000 new TB cases in Bangladesh, marking its pivotal role in controlling the outbreak. With its funding slashed from $500 million to a mere $71 million, local programs like Nari Maitree, which were integral to TB treatment and community health, are now defunct, leaving families in despair.

Dipa expressed her heartbreak, “I’ve lost my job and my ability to support my family. I don’t know how we’ll get through this.” The impact echoes across Bangladesh's nonprofit sector where about 500,000 people could lose their jobs due to USAID's withdrawal.

Beyond domestic health impacts, the halting of aid extends to the world's largest refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, home to over a million Rohingya refugees fleeing persecution in Myanmar. With US aid constituting nearly half of the financial support for these displaced individuals, the repercussions are catastrophic.

Rana Flowers from UNICEF warns of a looming crisis with shortages of essentials, while patients suffering chronic illnesses confront reduced access to medical care. As humanitarians assess the fallout, concerns rise over the potential for unrest among hungry and desperate populations within the camps.

Rehana Begum, a mother and refugee, reflects the grim reality as she mourns potential reductions to her monthly rations. “How will we survive?” she cried. The World Food Programme's staff have cited a funding crisis, forcing ration cuts that threaten to leave families devoid of essential nutrition.

As Bangladesh faces its worst healthcare emergency in decades, interim leader Muhammad Yunus has acknowledged the need for a new survival strategy in light of the cuts, yet clarity on effective solutions remains elusive. The swift and chaotic nature of these adjustments will likely reshape the future for countless Bangladeshi families and displaced communities reliant on those vital programs.