Dhaka, Nov 15 — As Bangladesh grapples with an unprecedented measles outbreak, eight more children died from the symptoms of the disease in the 24 hours till 8 a.m. (local time) on Sunday, taking the total number of confirmed and suspected-linked fatalities in the country in 2026 to 1,314.
The latest deaths have been classified as suspected measles deaths, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Following the latest fatalities, the number of suspected measles deaths has risen to 1,209, while confirmed deaths from measles remain unchanged at 105, the United News of Bangladesh (UNB) reported.
During the 24-hour period, 1,414 new suspected measles cases were reported in Bangladesh, taking the total number of suspected cases in the country to 248,060. During the same period, 158 new cases were reported in Bangladesh, pushing the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 25,269.
As many as 21,539 patients with suspected measles have been admitted to hospitals in Bangladesh since March 15. Among them, 212,402 people have recovered from measles, according to DGHS data, UNB reported.
Last month, former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that the measles "epidemic" was the result of “state negligence” and the collapse of the decades-old immunisation system.
Speaking to The Sunday Guardian, Hasina accused the former Muhammad Yunus-led interim administration of disrupting vaccine procurement through its political and administrative decisions, leading to a considerable immunisation gap.
She alleged that Bangladesh’s measles-rubella vaccine stocks were exhausted in March 2026, followed by a sharp decline in vaccination coverage. She also claimed that the authorities failed to launch a supplementary vaccination campaign at the scheduled time.
Hasina further criticised Prime Minister Tarique Rahman-led BNP government, alleging that the authorities failed to take adequate action after the severity of the outbreak became evident
“More than one thousand children dying from a preventable disease is not an ordinary administrative failure,” she added.
The former Prime Minister called for uninterrupted vaccine supplies, targeted immunisation campaigns for vulnerable communities, real-time disease monitoring, expanded paediatric healthcare facilities and an independent probe into the alleged procurement and vaccination failures.