Dhaka, September 1: The measles outbreak in Bangladesh is escalating alarmingly. On Monday, six more children succumbed to the disease, bringing the total confirmed and suspected deaths this year to nearly 973.
According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), these fatalities were recorded within the last 24 hours as of Monday morning. Local media reports indicate that all six recent deaths are believed to be linked to suspected measles infections. The confirmed death toll remains at 99, while the number of suspected deaths has surged to 874.
The DGHS reported 1,162 new suspected cases of measles in the past 24 hours, raising the total number of suspected cases to 157,991. Additionally, 94 new confirmed cases were recorded, bringing the total confirmed cases to 19,312.
Amid the rising numbers, an international group recently labeled the 2026 measles outbreak as one of the most significant public health crises in Bangladesh in recent years. The group emphasized that measles is a preventable disease through vaccination.
The Global Center for Democratic Governance (GCDG), based in Canada, stated in its report titled “Preventable Tragedy: Bangladesh 2026 Measles Outbreak” that while the outbreak may seem sudden to the public, it was not unexpected from an epidemiological perspective.
The report highlights that during the interim government led by Mohammad Yunus from 2024 to 2025, disruptions in vaccine supply and health programs significantly contributed to the crisis. Other major factors included lapses in routine vaccinations, cancellation of supplementary vaccination programs, administrative delays in vaccine procurement, and failure to identify at-risk groups in a timely manner.
The GCDG noted that Bangladesh had long relied on the international supply system of UNICEF to procure vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, the interim government shifted to an open tender system, disrupting this arrangement.
According to UNICEF, the agency sent five to six formal letters to the interim government warning about a potential vaccine shortage between 2024 and 2026 and raised concerns in nearly ten meetings.
Citing data from the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), a Bangladeshi newspaper reported that measles vaccination coverage dropped to 56.2% in 2025, the lowest level between 2017 and 2025.
The report also stated that the WHO identified the nationwide shortage of measles-rubella (MR) vaccines and the decline in routine vaccinations during 2024-25 as primary reasons for weakened immunity among children and the outbreak in 2026.
Health experts believe that a comprehensive vaccination campaign, adequate vaccine availability, and special monitoring in at-risk areas are essential to control the situation.
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