The Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) on Thursday demanded the trial of those responsible for the deaths of more than 400 children during the ongoing measles outbreak and urged the government to take emergency measures to stop the further spread of the disease.
The party made the demands at a protest rally held at Purana Paltan intersection in Dhaka at 5pm.
CPB President Kazi Sajjad Zahir Chandan presided over the programme.
CPB General Secretary Abdullah Kafi Ratan, Central Committee member Fazlur Rahman, Dhaka District President Sukanta Shafi Chowdhury Komol, Dhaka City North General Secretary Luna Nur and Dhaka City South President Saiful Islam Samir addressed the rally.
Central Committee member Sadequr Rahman Shamim conducted the event.
The CPB leaders claimed around 50,000 children have already been infected with measles across the country.
Although official figures recorded 435 deaths, the actual number is significantly higher, the speakers alleged, describing the situation as a national crisis.
The leaders blamed what they termed the interim government’s delay in procuring vaccines and its failure to bring all children under vaccination coverage for the worsening situation.
The government also failed to take prompt measures, resulting in shortages of essential vaccines in different parts of the country, they alleged.
“There is clear discrimination in vaccine distribution between rural and urban areas,” the leaders said.
They also criticised the lack of government awareness campaigns and shortage of essential healthcare facilities, particularly Intensive Care Unit (ICU) support.
The CPB demanded the immediate strengthening of the emergency vaccination programme, ensuring the supply of necessary medicines and treatment facilities, ending mismanagement in the health sector and taking effective long-term measures to protect public health.
The party also demanded compensation for the families of children who died due to what it described as government negligence.
The speakers described the failure to procure vaccines on time as “unlimited negligence” and a punishable offence.
They called for identifying and punishing those responsible within the government and administration.
Criticising the administration, the leaders said the government’s failure to stop the “procession of deaths” over the past three months reflected indifference.
They urged the authorities to take immediate action to prevent further deaths across the country.
