Global Hunger Crisis Affects 266 Million People Amid Rising Food Insecurity
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has reported an enormous global hunger and malnutrition crisis, affecting 266 million people. Of these, 45 million are at risk of acute hunger due to conflicts in the Middle East. The WFP's mid-year update of the Global Report on Food Crises shows that 70% of acutely food-insecure people live in fragile or conflict-affected countries.
Bangladesh is among the 15 countries where the food situation has deteriorated, with a 12% increase in the number of people facing high levels of acute food insecurity. The WFP projects a marginal deterioration by the end of the year due to economic pressures and external economic shocks.
The country's food grain production fell short of its FY26 target, but higher imports offset this shortfall. Bangladesh imported 8.60 million tonnes of food grains last fiscal year, up 12% from the previous year. The FAO projects a global fall in food output or supply disruption that will affect Bangladesh negatively, especially for wheat.
The FAO All Rice Price Index averaged 109 points in August 2026, and domestic rice prices increased across most Asian countries. In Bangladesh, the national average retail price of coarse rice remained about 11% lower on a year-on-year basis. However, El Niño-related disruptions and geopolitical risks threaten agricultural production and worsen acute food insecurity.