Bangladesh measles outbreak kills 657 children as cases surge

Bangladesh is facing a severe measles outbreak that has resulted in a total of 657 child deaths (93 confirmed and 564 suspected) since March 15, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). In the latest 24‑hour period, DGHS recorded 1,006 new suspected cases, bringing the cumulative suspected case count to 87,929, and added 136 confirmed cases to reach a total of 10,523.

Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina criticized the previous Muhammad Yunus‑led interim government for disrupting the national vaccination programme and accused the current Bangladesh Nationalist Party administration of negligence, calling the spread an "administrative crime." UNICEF representatives said the agency had repeatedly warned the government about vaccine shortages from 2024 onward, sending multiple letters and holding ten meetings with health officials.

The outbreak now affects hundreds of thousands of children across 61 districts, prompting heightened health‑sector urgency and political scrutiny.