Over 2.2 million Bangladeshis experienced "emergency" levels of food insecurity in 2023, according to a report by Oxfam.

Over 2.2 million Bangladeshis faced "emergency levels" of hunger in 2023, according to a recent report by UK-based charity Oxfam. The report, titled *"Food Wars: Conflict, Hunger, and Globalization 2023,"* highlighted that Bangladesh, along with Sudan, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and South Sudan, accounted for over 58 percent of the global population facing IPC 4 (emergency) conditions. Collectively, these five nations have over 20.9 million people suffering from acute food insecurity.

Published in conjunction with World Food Day, the report analyzed 54 countries dealing with active conflict, refugee crises, or lingering conflict impacts, where populations face "crisis-level" hunger, classified as IPC 3 (crisis) or higher. In total, nearly 278 million people in these nations endured crisis-level hunger in 2023, making up 99 percent of the global population in IPC 3+ categories (281.6 million people).

According to the report, 11.8 million Bangladeshis are currently suffering from crisis-level hunger. Oxfam further noted that between 7,000 and 21,000 people may be dying from hunger each day worldwide in conflict-affected countries. Bangladesh’s situation is particularly dire due to its vulnerability to climate disasters, hosting refugees, and economic shocks, which exacerbate food insecurity across the country.

Oxfam emphasized the urgent need for action to prevent the situation from worsening, as millions struggle to meet basic food needs. The report also warned that the global goal of achieving "zero hunger" by 2030 is becoming increasingly out of reach and urged the international community, including the UN Security Council, to hold those accountable for "starvation crimes" under international law.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) measures food insecurity and acute malnutrition on a scale of five phases, from minimal to famine conditions. Bangladesh is among the nations grappling with higher levels of food insecurity, underscoring the pressing need for intervention.