Bangladesh measles outbreak: Dhaka court receives complaint against Muhammad Yunus over alleged negligence

A Dhaka court has received a complaint against former interim government head Muhammad Yunus. The filing alleges criminal negligence linked to Bangladesh’s measles outbreak, which has killed 738 people. Court officials said the judge is likely to decide on July 12 whether to accept the complaint. A decision could open the way for criminal proceedings.

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Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Dhaka Jashita Islam recorded the complaint submitted by Sirajul Islam. Sirajul Islam is the father of a nine-month-old girl. The child allegedly died after failing to get immunised during a vaccine shortage. The child was later denied adequate care due to an oxygen shortage.

Bangladesh measles outbreak complaint and named accused

The complaint accuses Yunus of negligence of duty, violation of law and deaths caused by negligence. It also names several co-accused from the same interim administration. They include health adviser Nurjahan Begum and press secretary Shafiqul Alam. The former Director General of Health Services, Mohammad Abu Jafar, is also listed.

Taslima Jahan, the lawyer for Sirajul Islam, shared details with reporters after the court action. The complaint links the alleged death to supply gaps in a government hospital in Dhaka. It claims an immunisation failure happened first, followed by limited treatment access. The filing was recorded on Sunday by the magistrate.

Bangladesh measles outbreak deaths and case numbers

The court move comes as Bangladesh faces its worst measles outbreak in decades. Health authorities reported seven more deaths in the 24 hours ending Sunday morning. That brought total confirmed and suspected measles-related deaths to 738 since March 15. Officials have been tracking both confirmed and suspected fatalities in the tally.

Official figures show 118,250 confirmed and suspected measles cases nationwide. Public health experts, however, believe the real caseload could be much higher. The rising numbers have added pressure on the health system. The outbreak has also raised questions about routine immunisation coverage and supply planning.

UNICEF warnings on Bangladesh measles outbreak vaccine shortage

United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF said in May it warned the interim government at least 10 times. The agency pointed to procedural delays affecting vaccine procurement. UNICEF linked those delays to the risk of a major outbreak. The interim government had changed how vaccines were purchased during that period.

"The interim government halted vaccine procurement through UNICEF and switched to an open tender system. We raised concerns over the vaccine shortage in at least 10 meetings with the government since 2024, alongside sending five to six formal letters,\" UNICEF representative in Dhaka Rana Flowers told a press conference two months ago.

Rana Flowers said routine immunisation was disrupted for an extended period. Rana Flowers added that many children then fell outside vaccine coverage. Rana Flowers also said the shortage was not due to missing funds. Rana Flowers blamed delays within procurement steps for the gap in vaccine supply.

The judge’s decision on July 12 will determine if the complaint proceeds further. The allegations connect vaccine and hospital supply shortages to a child’s reported death. At the same time, health data continue to show rising measles harm since March 15. Authorities and agencies are also focusing on procurement delays and immunisation disruption.

With inputs from PTI