Measles treatment continued uninterrupted at hospitals in Dhaka during the Eid holidays, but for many families the time was difficult as the festival passed in silence beside critically ill children.
Parents staying at hospitals with children infected with measles described the emotional strain of spending Eid away from home while caring for sick children through long and anxious nights.
“As it was far from home, we felt a bit empty. Still, we understood that it was necessary for the child to stay in hospital,” Tanjina Akther, the mother of a nine-month-old child admitted to the Infectious Disease Hospital with measles, told TIMES of Bangladesh.
Doctors on duty said hospitals maintained regular inpatient and emergency services throughout the holidays, with medical staff working in shifts to handle the growing number of patients.
The accounts from parents and healthcare workers came as measles-related deaths and suspected infections continued to be reported across Bangladesh.
According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), two more children died with measles-like symptoms in the 24 hours leading up to Sunday morning.
The DGHS says 585 deaths linked to the disease have been reported nationwide since mid-March.
Several families spending the Eid holidays in Dhaka hospitals described wards where routine care replaced celebration, with the festival passing quietly beside hospital beds as they followed medical instructions for their sick children.
Mohammad Mamun, from Munshiganj, said he and his family spent an extended period moving between multiple facilities, including Matuail Hospital and the Infectious Disease Hospital, as his twin infants received treatment.
“The long days away from home were made even harder because it was Eid,” he said. “Instead of celebrating, we were constantly monitoring our children and following doctors’ guidance.”
“We returned home after Eid after doctors allowed discharge once their condition stabilised,” he said.
He added that one of the twins later showed signs of renewed weakness, requiring continued observation and possible return to hospital care.
He also recalled the more critical phase of treatment when one of the twins needed significant oxygen support, saying that period was especially distressing for the family.
Tanjina Akther said her child’s condition improved during hospital admission and the child was later discharged after doctors confirmed stability.
However, she described the emotional difficulty of spending the Eid holidays away from home while staying beside a sick child. She has since returned home following the discharge.
Doctors at the Infectious Disease Hospital and DNCC Hospital said patient care continued throughout Eid, with inpatient and emergency services operating as usual.
They said uninterrupted treatment during the holidays was part of their professional responsibility amid the ongoing measles outbreak.
The outbreak has caused significant suffering among children this year amid a vaccine shortage, with the death toll continuing to rise.
According to the DGHS, of the 585 deaths reported since mid-March, 90 were confirmed measles cases while 495 were classified as suspected cases.
During the same period, 1,324 suspected cases and 53 confirmed cases were reported.
Since mid-March, the number of suspected cases has reached 70,936, while confirmed cases stand at 9,049.
The National Measles-Rubella Vaccination Campaign 2026 is continuing as part of efforts to contain the outbreak.
