51³Ô¹Ï

More than , the majority of them aged between six months and five years, have died in the ongoing Bangladeshi measles outbreak, which began in mid-March. A significant spike in new cases — the likes of which the region has not seen in the last three decades — has completely overwhelmed hospitals in the capital city of Dhaka. 

The outbreak and its causes

Measles is an acute viral respiratory illness. Because it is viral in nature, measles cannot be treated with antibiotics, forcing those suffering from the illness to manage their symptoms while they wait for their bodies to clear the virus. Like COVID-19, measles spreads through coughs and sneezes, making it highly contagious. Once infected, children are at higher risk of developing complications, which can include pneumonia and brain inflammation. These complications can be fatal if left untreated. 

While malnourished and unvaccinated children are most vulnerable to the measles virus, if a systematic vaccination campaign had been underway, this deadly outbreak could have been prevented. The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) that one potential contributing factor to the rapid outbreak could be the sharp deterioration of the Bangladeshi immunization program from August 2024 to now. The fatalities, trauma and long-term physical damages will remain with the survivors and will definitely have a legacy bearing on future generations.

Previous vaccination success and political turmoil

Prior to the (the mass uprising in 2024 that led to the resignation of Sheikh Hasina Wazed’s government), Bangladesh had made in its efforts to vaccinate newborns, even making global headlines for achieving higher rates of survival among young children and mothers, especially compared with the rest of Southeast Asia. However, since the revolution, nationwide vaccine shortages have resulted in plummeting immunization rates. Coupled with child malnutrition and general economic downturn, these lower rates have directly contributed to the virus’ dramatic resurgence. 

Traditionally, Bangladesh administered two doses of the measles rubella vaccine to children. One at nine months and one at 15 months of age, followed by a supplementary booster dose at four years old. The previous governments must be given credit, as they reached as high as 95% , meeting the threshold for the prevention of outbreaks. Funded by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and contributions from local governments, UNICEF previously supplied measles vaccines to Bangladesh. 

However, the Interim government, led by economist and Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus — also popularly known as the banker of the poor — diverged from the standard policy. In September 2025, Yunus’s government vaccine procurement through UNICEF and moved to an open tender system — a procurement process in which a government invites suppliers to bid on a contract and evaluates proposals before deciding on a supplier.

Procurement failures and their consequences

The delicate process to secure a fresh batch of vaccines became intertwined with a major bureaucratic process. Additionally, delays were caused by the student-revolutionary-led advisory bodies, resulting in a total evaporation of existing stocks. With no fresh supplies coming in, the immunization campaign hit a . The campaign to vaccinate the young was put on hold in 2024, later postponed to 2025, and eventually canceled. 

According to government figures, in 2025, a mere 59% of eligible children the measles vaccine. This data was later removed from the government websites. The writing was on the wall: A dip in the ongoing vaccination process would be directly proportional to the virus’s resurgence. In the virus’s path lay the lives and futures of hundreds and potentially thousands of innocent children and their desperate families. 

As this terrible tragedy unfolds before the world, the present leadership and government in Bangladesh, which took office a few months ago, must take immediate action by exploring options to identify the critical missteps in the procurement process that have led to this man-made disaster. The present administration must hold accountable those who could have contributed, directly or indirectly, to creating such a complete catastrophe. 

[ edited this piece.]

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