Health authorities in Chattogram reported a sharp rise in children showing measles symptoms, with most of the affected being unvaccinated. Over the past 84 hours, 26 new children were admitted to various hospitals, bringing the total number of patients under treatment to 55. Among them, seven have been confirmed with measles and one with rubella. A five-and-a-half-month-old child from Cox’s Bazar, admitted to Chattogram Medical College Hospital, died in the ICU, though confirmation of measles as the cause awaits lab results.

According to the Civil Surgeon’s Office, 91 samples have been sent to the National Polio and Measles-Rubella Laboratory in Dhaka for testing. Data from Chattogram Medical College Hospital show that only three of the 33 admitted children received two vaccine doses, nine received one dose, and 21 were unvaccinated. Most of the unvaccinated are under nine months old. Health experts emphasized the need for full participation in routine immunization programs to prevent wider outbreaks.

Officials warned that without improved vaccination coverage, the current rise in infections could escalate further in the coming months.

Leading anti-tobacco organizations have expressed deep concern over the government’s decision to remove provisions banning e-cigarettes and the display of tobacco products at points of sale from the Tobacco Control (Amendment) Ordinance 2025. In a statement issued Wednesday, they warned that such changes could undermine public health and encourage nicotine addiction among youth.

The organizations stated that emerging tobacco products like e-cigarettes are highly harmful and act as gateways to nicotine dependence. They argued that allowing product displays at sales points would attract children and adolescents to tobacco use, reversing progress in tobacco control. The groups also noted that the removal of these clauses contradicts the ruling party’s electoral commitment to strengthen tobacco regulation.

Former interim government adviser and economist Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman called on the government and parliament to immediately reinstate the two clauses, emphasizing that public health and youth protection must take precedence over narrow profit interests.

The government of Bangladesh will begin a measles vaccination campaign at the upazila level from Sunday, April 5, in response to a worsening outbreak across the country. Health Minister Sardar Sakhawat Hossain announced the initiative at a press conference in Dhaka on April 1, stating that vaccinations will start first in the most affected areas. Vaccines will reach those regions within two days, and all health workers’ leave has been canceled to ensure full participation.

According to the Directorate General of Health Services, measles has spread rapidly in Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Pabna, Barishal, and Mymensingh, with more than 700 infections and over 50 deaths reported. Public health experts have urged immediate government action, warning that a single patient can transmit the disease to 16–18 others if left unchecked.

Bangladesh’s routine immunization program provides two doses of the measles vaccine to children at nine and fifteen months of age through about 120,000 vaccination centers. The last national measles campaign was conducted in December 2020.

The government has decided to open the Rajshahi Children’s Hospital, which has remained unused for three years since its construction was completed. Health Services Division Secretary Kamruzzaman Chowdhury announced during a visit to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital that the facility will begin partial operations within three months. Initially, only outpatient services will start, with other departments expected to open in the next fiscal year.

Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services, Professor Dr. Prabhat Chandra Biswas, also visited the site and mentioned plans to activate other completed but idle health infrastructures, including the district and chest hospitals. Construction of the 200-bed children’s hospital began about eight years ago at Bandhgate in Rajshahi at a cost of Tk 35 crore. Despite completion three years ago, it remained closed due to delays in government handover, leading to theft of equipment.

The hospital includes 12 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) beds. The decision to open it followed reports of child deaths while waiting for NICU care. Overcrowding at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital’s pediatric ward, which admits up to 700 patients against 200 beds, has intensified the need for the new facility.

In Chandpur district, 23 children have been hospitalized after contracting measles, and three have died from the disease, according to Civil Surgeon Nure Alam Din. Hospitals across the district have been instructed to take additional measures to handle the growing number of cases. The affected children are being treated at Chandpur Sadar General Hospital, Hajiganj Upazila Health Complex, and Matlab North Upazila Health Complex.

At Chandpur Sadar General Hospital, children are arriving with fever, cough, and cold symptoms. Due to limited bed capacity, some patients are being treated on the floor, while isolation wards have been arranged for those infected. Physicians have advised parents not to panic and to seek immediate medical attention for children showing symptoms.

Hospital authorities reported that the number of measles cases is gradually increasing, and several children have been referred to Dhaka for advanced treatment. Health officials continue to monitor the situation closely to prevent further spread of the infection.

Sheikh Ahmadullah, chairman of the As-Sunnah Foundation and a noted Islamic scholar, has issued an urgent warning to parents across Bangladesh regarding the ongoing measles outbreak. In a Facebook post on March 30, 2026, he advised parents not to panic if measles symptoms appear in children but to seek medical attention immediately. He highlighted the shortage of neonatal intensive care units and critical treatment facilities in government hospitals, describing it as a reflection of the country’s strained healthcare system.

Ahmadullah expressed concern that children are increasingly exposed to artificial lifestyles and deprived of natural environments, leading to weakened immunity. He also noted that many children are growing up under the care of domestic workers or in day-care centers, which, along with cultural influences, is affecting their physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. He urged parents to ensure nutritious diets and closer contact with nature to strengthen their children’s health.

He concluded his message with a prayer for divine protection of all children from diseases, emphasizing the need for parental vigilance and faith-based patience during the crisis.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has voiced deep concern over the deaths of 38 children from measles across the country. In a statement released to the media on Monday, the party’s Secretary General, Mia Golam Porwar, said that 32 children had died from the disease in March alone, bringing the total number of child deaths this year to 46. He criticized the government for failing to take visible and effective measures to control the outbreak.

Porwar attributed the situation to weaknesses and mismanagement within the national health service. He stated that widespread corruption and misappropriation in the health sector have led to the collapse of the overall healthcare system, depriving citizens of their basic right to proper medical treatment. He urged the Health Minister to take immediate and effective action to control the spread of measles.

The statement reflects growing political concern over public health management in Bangladesh amid rising measles cases and child fatalities.

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Md. Shafiqul Islam Khan announced that workers who play an active role in reducing mosquito infestations will receive rewards. He made the announcement on Monday, March 30, during the inauguration of a two-day training program on Integrated Vector Management (IVM) and basic pest control strategies organized by the DNCC Health Department at Gulshan Nagar Bhaban.

Shafiqul emphasized the need for sincerity and commitment in mosquito control efforts, urging field workers to focus more on practical knowledge than theoretical understanding. He noted that mosquito control is closely linked with waste management and that DNCC is strengthening its waste management operations. He added that effective performance by all responsible staff could bring relief to city residents.

DNCC’s Chief Health Officer Brigadier General Imrul Kayes Chowdhury said the training aims to enhance participants’ practical skills in mosquito control techniques. Entomologist Kabirul Bashar highlighted that commitment, collaboration, and cooperation are key to effective mosquito management.

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Md. Shafiqul Islam Khan has directed mosquito control workers to perform their duties with maximum sincerity and commitment to strengthen mosquito control activities in the city. Speaking at the inauguration of a two-day training on Integrated Vector Management (IVM) and basic pest control strategies at Gulshan Nagar Bhaban on Monday, he emphasized that citizens should not have grounds to blame the authorities when walking on the streets.

He highlighted the importance of practical knowledge over theoretical understanding and said that strong commitment and continuous effort could bring the city closer to its mosquito control goals. The administrator noted that effective mosquito control depends largely on field-level workers and is closely linked to waste management, which DNCC is also intensifying. He announced that workers showing good performance would be rewarded by the corporation.

The event was chaired by DNCC Chief Health Officer Brigadier General Imrul Kayes Chowdhury, who said the training would enhance participants’ practical skills. Entomologist Dr. Kabirul Bashar added that commitment, collaboration, and cooperation are key to effective mosquito control.

The Government of Bangladesh has decided to administer measles vaccines to infants as young as six months under a special arrangement, following a recent increase in measles infections across the country. Until now, the national immunization program provided measles vaccines only to children aged nine to fifteen months. The new decision was made on March 30, 2026, during a meeting of the National Immunization Technical Advisory Committee.

According to the Directorate General of Health Services, the special campaign will begin in the first week of June and continue for one month. Approximately 20 million children are expected to be vaccinated during this period. The campaign will extend coverage to children aged six months to ten years, expanding beyond the regular immunization schedule.

The initiative aims to curb the spread of measles by reaching younger infants and older children who may not have received timely doses under the standard program.

A wave of public anger has erupted across Bangladesh after multiple child deaths at Rajshahi Medical College (RMC) Hospital due to shortages of ICU beds and ventilators. Despite Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain’s harsh criticism, hospital director Brigadier General P.K.M. Masudul Islam remains in his position. The minister had condemned the director for failing to inform authorities about the lack of neonatal ventilators, saying he deserved severe punishment. The issue has sparked nationwide debate over weaknesses in the country’s healthcare management.

The minister stated that after learning of the incident, he personally spoke with the director but received no satisfactory explanation. The director initially dismissed the matter as media exaggeration but later could not deny the reported facts in his official report. On Sunday, the director was seen performing his regular duties and holding meetings with department heads, though no details of the discussions were disclosed.

Local residents and health professionals have long complained about inadequate ICU facilities at RMC, particularly for newborns. Analysts warn that without swift administrative action, public trust in the health sector could erode further.

Health Minister Sardar Sakhawat Hossain Bokul told Parliament on Sunday that there are no funds available for development work in the health sector, and even upazila health complexes lack sufficient money to buy basic items such as gauze, bandages, and syringes. He made the remarks while responding to a notice from ruling party MP Mohammad Shamim Kayser regarding the upgrade of Gobindaganj Upazila Hospital in Gaibandha district.

The minister alleged that widespread corruption and mismanagement during the previous fascist government had drained the health sector’s resources. He said that ongoing projects were left incomplete and poorly planned, citing examples of hospital buildings where entrances were placed next to bathrooms due to faulty designs made in haste for profit. He added that even the caretaker government’s remaining resources had been exhausted.

Bokul stated that he had discussed the situation with the Prime Minister several times and that after the next budget, the ministry would gradually work to restore basic healthcare services within limited resources across all upazilas.

Bangladesh’s Health Minister Sardar Shakhawat Hossain Bakul has said that measles vaccines have not been administered in the country for the past eight years. He made the statement amid a rise in measles cases, announcing that the government has allocated 6.04 billion taka to purchase new vaccines. The minister spoke to reporters on Sunday at the inauguration of the International Pharmaceutical Industry Fair at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center.

According to the minister, the last government-administered measles vaccination took place eight years ago, and since then no new doses were provided. He said the purchase committee has approved the allocation, and vaccines will be collected and distributed in due time. Measles cases have recently increased, with infections detected in Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar in early January and later spreading to slum areas in Dhaka.

Following reports of child deaths due to lack of ICU space at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, the government received five donated ventilators. The minister added that more than 12 additional ventilators will soon be supplied to support the Health and Family Welfare Ministry’s efforts against the outbreak.

Health Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain stated that the government is making maximum efforts to prevent corruption in the health sector. He made the remarks on Sunday afternoon after inaugurating the 17th Asia Pharma Expo at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Center in Purbachal, Dhaka. The minister said new crises are emerging and instructions have been given to address them promptly.

He mentioned that the government is taking swift steps to resolve the ventilator shortage at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, where five ventilators have been arranged privately and four will be sent to Rajshahi. Due to the rise in measles cases, ICU facilities have been prepared at the Children’s Hospital, Dhaka Medical College, and DNCC Dedicated Hospital. The minister expressed sorrow over the deaths of 33 children in Rajshahi Medical College Hospital within 11 days due to lack of ventilation.

He added that a vaccination campaign is being considered to cover children who have not yet received measles vaccines. The government has allocated Tk 604 crore for this purpose and plans to launch a nationwide campaign once vaccine procurement is complete.

At Rajshahi Medical College Hospital in Bangladesh, 62 children have died over the past two and a half months amid a severe shortage of intensive care unit (ICU) facilities. Of these, 53 children died while waiting for ICU admission and nine after being admitted. Most of the deceased suffered from pneumonia and measles, conditions that doctors say require intensive care when complications arise. The hospital currently has only 12 ICU beds, with a few allocated for children, far below the demand.

The crisis is compounded by overcrowding in the pediatric ward, where multiple children share single beds and some receive treatment on the floor. A 200-bed specialized children’s hospital, built at a cost of about 350 million taka, has remained unused for three years. Local activists and parents have criticized the authorities for failing to operationalize the facility despite repeated child deaths. Hospital officials acknowledge the shortage and cite manpower and equipment constraints.

Health authorities have pledged to strengthen vaccination drives as measles cases rise, while hospital management plans to activate a new 50-bed ICU complex once staffing and equipment issues are resolved.