Dhaka, August 9: Bangladesh is grappling with a severe measles outbreak. On Sunday, six children with measles-like symptoms died, raising the total confirmed and suspected deaths in 2026 to 873.
According to local media, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) reported that all six recent deaths are suspected to be linked to measles. The United News of Bangladesh (UNB) noted that the number of laboratory-confirmed measles deaths remains at 98, while suspected deaths have surged to 775.
In the past 24 hours, the country recorded 988 new suspected measles cases, bringing the total to 136,320. Additionally, 75 new confirmed cases were reported, increasing the total number of lab-confirmed infections to 17,115.
As measles cases continue to rise, a prominent international organization has labeled the 2026 outbreak as one of the most severe public health crises in recent years. The organization expressed concern that this disease could have been prevented through vaccination.
The Canada-based Global Center for Democratic Governance (GCDG) stated in its recent report, “Preventable Tragedy: Bangladesh’s 2026 Measles Outbreak,” that while the outbreak may seem sudden to the public, it was not unexpected from an epidemiological perspective.
The report attributes the crisis to a combination of factors. These include disruptions in vaccine supply and health programs during the interim government led by Mohammad Yunus from 2024 to 2025, missed routine vaccinations, cancellation of scheduled supplementary vaccination programs, administrative delays in vaccine procurement, and failure to identify at-risk children promptly.
According to GCDG, Bangladesh has long procured WHO-approved vaccines through UNICEF’s international supply system. However, the interim government altered this arrangement, implementing an open tender process. The report cites UNICEF, stating that between 2024 and 2026, the agency sent five to six formal letters to the interim government regarding potential vaccine shortages and held nearly ten meetings, but the issues persisted.
Citing data from the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) published in the Bangladeshi newspaper Samakal, GCDG noted that measles vaccination coverage dropped to 56.2% in 2025, the lowest level between 2017 and 2025.
The report also indicated that the WHO identified the nationwide shortage of measles-rubella (MR) vaccines and the decline in routine vaccinations during 2024-2025 as key factors contributing to weakened immunity among children and the 2026 outbreak.
GCDG stated, “Administrative and health system failures were responsible for the spread of measles across the country. These included gaps in programs during the interim government, disruptions in vaccine procurement, transportation, and supply, vaccine shortages, canceled EPI sessions, declining MR1 and MR2 vaccination coverage, and an increasing number of children missing vaccinations on schedule, along with a lack of supplementary vaccination programs and inadequate and slow medical responses from the current government.”
The organization accused the current Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government of failing to act swiftly on known risks since taking office this year.
Criticizing the lack of transparency, GCDG stated that the failure to provide timely and clear information during the measles outbreak has been a significant weakness in the current government’s health response.
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