Health officials in Bangladesh have attributed the alarming rise in measles cases to the failure of Dr. Muhammad Yunus’s interim government to implement the national immunization program. They said the government failed to conduct the scheduled national vaccination campaign in 2024 and 2025, disrupted routine immunization due to health workers’ protests, and canceled 17 operational plans, all of which worsened the outbreak. According to the Directorate General of Health Services, between March 15 and April 2, 3,709 children were hospitalized with measles symptoms, 585 were confirmed cases, and at least 13 children died.

Officials explained that measles vaccines are usually administered through regular programs and national campaigns, but both systems broke down under the interim administration. Only 59 percent of children received vaccines, far below the 92 percent coverage needed to control the disease. Attempts to reach former health officials for comment were unsuccessful.

At a roundtable in Dhaka, participants demanded legal action against those responsible if procurement issues contributed to the outbreak. Experts and policymakers urged stronger oversight of vaccination programs and cautioned health workers to avoid public suffering during future protests.