Daijiworld Media Network - Dhaka

Dhaka, May 14: Bangladesh is witnessing a severe public health crisis as at least eight more people have died from measles and measles-like symptoms in the past 24 hours, pushing the combined confirmed and suspected death toll to 432, according to health authorities.

Data released by the Directorate General of Health Services showed that the country’s measles outbreak continues to escalate rapidly, with total confirmed and suspected infections now surpassing 60,000.

Officials reported 1,489 new suspected cases during the latest reporting period, taking the cumulative number of suspected infections to 53,056. In addition, 126 fresh laboratory-confirmed cases were recorded, raising the confirmed tally to 7,150.

Health experts have described the situation as one of the most serious measles outbreaks Bangladesh has faced in recent years.

Public health specialist Mushtaq Hossain said delayed vaccination drives and gaps in healthcare preparedness contributed significantly to the rapid spread of the disease. He noted that a more effective tier-based treatment system could have reduced fatalities during the outbreak.

Hossain also argued that the scale of infections warranted the declaration of a public health emergency once cases crossed the 50,000 mark, warning that the absence of such a move weakened coordinated national response efforts.

Virologist and public health expert Mahbuba Jamil highlighted the unusually sharp rise in infections this year, adding that areas where immunisation campaigns have been intensified are beginning to show signs of improvement. She identified Sylhet as one of the worst-affected regions in the country.

Medical experts believe that inadequate vaccination coverage in the previous year, combined with widespread malnutrition, has played a major role in aggravating the outbreak.

Meanwhile, public anger over the crisis is growing. On Wednesday, protestors under the banner of “Socheton Nagorik Samaj” organised a human chain demonstration in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi area, demanding accountability for the deaths. The group called for legal action against former interim government chief advisor Muhammad Yunus and former health advisor Nurjahan Begum, along with compensation for affected families.

A recent editorial published in The Daily Star described the outbreak as an “avoidable disaster,” criticising the previous interim administration for allegedly dismantling an effective vaccine procurement system without establishing an adequate replacement.

The report noted that Bangladesh had once been regarded internationally as a model for successful measles vaccination coverage among low-income nations, but claimed that years of progress had been undermined by policy failures and negligence.