Human rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) said child deaths from measles, a preventable disease, are unacceptable and should not be considered normal under any circumstances.
The rights organisation expressed deep concern over the growing measles infections and rising child fatalities, saying the situation reflects serious failures in public health management, policy planning and state preparedness.
In a statement, ASK said media reports show a surge in children being infected with measles or its symptoms every day, with many requiring hospitalisation and, in some cases, dying.
Measles has long been preventable through safe, effective and low-cost vaccines, raising questions over why timely procurement, supply and routine immunisation could not be ensured, it said.
The organisation said the situation has escalated to a near-epidemic level, claiming children’s lives from a disease that is preventable.
Citing media reports, ASK said there were delays, shortages or administrative complications in procuring measles vaccines during the interim government period, adding that if true, the issue cannot be treated as a mere administrative lapse.
It said it is essential to investigate why the procurement of such a critical life-saving vaccine was stalled, at what stage decisions were delayed, and whether any officials in key positions created obstacles or if negligence, inefficiency or lack of coordination harmed public interest.
The organisation also questioned how the current government managed to begin vaccine procurement and programme implementation within a similar administrative framework if the previous government had failed, asking what caused the difference, where the barriers were and who was responsible for the delays.
ASK called for the immediate formation of an independent investigation commission to ensure transparent, credible and impartial answers to these questions.
The World Health Organization has classified the current measles situation in Bangladesh as high risk and advised ensuring at least 95 per cent coverage with two vaccine doses, strengthening surveillance, prioritising high-risk groups, adopting special measures in border areas and improving infection control in hospitals.
ASK said the warning from the global health body shows the crisis is not only a health sector issue but also a matter of state capacity and public safety.
The organisation urged the government to urgently expand nationwide vaccination programmes, prioritise high-risk regions including slums, hilly areas and marginalised communities, ensure free and quality treatment for infected children, address weaknesses in vaccine supply systems, and hold those responsible for past negligence, failure or indecision accountable.
