Over 450 Children Die In Bangladesh Measles Crisis; Petition Targets Muhammad Yunus Over Vaccine Shortage

Bangladesh is grappling with a worsening measles outbreak that has claimed the lives of at least 459 children in the past two months, sparking political controversy and legal action over.

An alleged vaccine shortage during the tenure of former interim government chief adviser Muhammad Yunus. According to official data released till Sunday morning, 75 deaths were confirmed as measles-related, while another 384 were recorded as suspected measles fatalities.

The crisis has now reached the courts, with a petition filed before the Bangladesh High Court seeking restrictions on Yunus and 24 others from leaving the country over allegations that vaccine shortages during the interim administration contributed to the outbreak, The Times of India reported.

Supreme Court lawyer M Ashraful Islam submitted the public interest litigation (PIL), requesting a judicial probe into the vaccine shortage and the role of Yunus and former health officials. The case was expected to be heard on Monday.

Figures released by Bangladesh’s Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) showed that 57,846 suspected measles cases have been reported nationwide since March 15, including 1,274 fresh suspected infections in the last 24 hours.

Authorities also confirmed 7,767 measles infections during the same period.

Hospitals across Bangladesh are reportedly under intense pressure as thousands of children continue to seek treatment for measles-related complications.

More than 42,000 suspected patients have been admitted to hospitals since mid-March, while over 37,000 children have recovered.

Questions raised over vaccine availability

The TOI report claimed Bangladesh faced a major shortage of measles vaccines between 2024 and 2025, when Yunus led the interim administration. Doctors and public health experts linked to the ‘Bangladesh Child Protection Initiative’ alleged that failures in vaccine procurement and distribution worsened the outbreak and allowed infections to spread rapidly across the country.

The group has demanded legal proceedings against Yunus and former health adviser Nurjahan Begum.

The issue has also triggered protests in Dhaka.

Demonstrators under the banner of ‘Socheton Nagorik Samaj’ recently formed a human chain demanding accountability for the deaths caused by measles and measles-like illnesses. Protesters also sought compensation for affected families.

Health experts have meanwhile urged authorities to intensify vaccination drives and establish dedicated “fever corners” at local health facilities to ensure early diagnosis and treatment of measles and pneumonia cases.

Hospitals overwhelmed amid outbreak

An earlier AFP report described the outbreak as Bangladesh’s deadliest measles crisis in decades, with hospitals struggling to manage the growing number of infected children. The report noted that Bangladesh had once achieved strong immunisation coverage, but the political unrest during the 2024 uprising that led to the fall of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina disrupted routine vaccination programmes nationwide.

In response, authorities launched an emergency measles-rubella vaccination campaign on April 5 with support from UNICEF and the World Health Organization. Officials said nearly 17 million children have received vaccines under the emergency campaign so far.

However, health authorities admitted that vaccine coverage last year stood at only 59 percent — far below the 95 percent level required to maintain herd immunity against measles.