As Bangladesh battles one of the deadliest measles outbreaks in its recent history, the crisis has now moved into a courtroom. A Dhaka court has received a complaint against former interim government head Muhammad Yunus, accusing him of criminal negligence tied to the outbreak that has already killed 738 people. According to court officials, the judge is expected to decide on July 12 whether to accept the complaint. If accepted, the decision could clear the path for criminal proceedings.
A father who lost his nine-month-old daughter
The complaint was filed by Sirajul Islam and recorded by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Dhaka Jashita Islam. Sirajul Islam is the father of a nine-month-old girl. The child allegedly died after she could not be immunised during a vaccine shortage, and was later denied adequate care because of an oxygen shortage. The filing links her death to supply gaps at a government hospital in Dhaka, claiming that an immunisation failure came first, followed by limited access to treatment. The complaint was recorded by the magistrate on Sunday.
Who else is named in the complaint
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. Among them are 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 the details with reporters after the court action.
The worst outbreak in decades
The legal move comes as Bangladesh faces its worst measles outbreak in decades. In the 24 hours ending Sunday morning, health authorities recorded seven more deaths. That pushed the total number of confirmed and suspected measles-related deaths to 738 since March 15. Officials have been counting both confirmed and suspected fatalities in the tally. Official figures put the nationwide caseload at 118,250 confirmed and suspected measles cases, though public health experts believe the real number could be far higher. The surging figures have piled fresh pressure on the health system and raised sharp questions about routine immunisation coverage and supply planning.
UNICEF had sounded the alarm
The United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, said in May that it had warned the interim government at least 10 times. The agency pointed to procedural delays that were affecting vaccine procurement and linked those delays to the risk of a major outbreak. During that period, the interim government had changed the way vaccines were purchased.
"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 said at a press conference two months ago.
Rana Flowers said routine immunisation was disrupted for an extended stretch, leaving many children outside vaccine coverage. She stressed that the shortage was not caused by missing funds. Instead, she blamed delays within the procurement process for the gap in vaccine supply.
All eyes now on July 12
The judge's decision on July 12 will determine whether the complaint moves forward. The allegations tie the vaccine and hospital supply shortages directly to the child's reported death. At the same time, health data continue to show mounting measles harm since March 15. Authorities and agencies are now training their focus on the procurement delays and the disruption in immunisation that lie at the heart of the crisis.
