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Bangladesh Measles Death Toll Climbs to 585 as Outbreak Continues to Spread

Bangladesh’s measles outbreak has claimed two more lives, pushing the total death toll to 585 since March 15, according to health authorities. The latest fatalities, both involving children, were reported within a 24-hour period ending Sunday morning and have been classified as suspected measles deaths by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). With these additions, the number of suspected measles-related deaths has risen to 495, while 90 deaths have been officially confirmed. The outbreak continues to place significant pressure on the country’s healthcare system, with 1,324 new suspected cases reported over the past day. This has increased the cumulative number of suspected infections to 70,936. Meanwhile, 53 new confirmed cases were recorded, taking the total confirmed infections to 9,049. Since mid-March, 56,886 people with suspected measles symptoms have been hospitalised across Bangladesh. Of these, 52,841 patients have recovered, according to DGHS data. The crisis has also sparked concerns over vaccine availability. Last week, UNICEF revealed that it had repeatedly warned Bangladesh’s previous interim administration, led by Muhammad Yunus, about vaccine shortages that could lead to a widespread outbreak. Speaking at a media briefing in Dhaka, UNICEF Bangladesh Representative Rana Flowers said the organisation had sent multiple letters and raised the issue during at least 10 meetings with health officials between 2024 and 2026. According to Flowers, UNICEF consistently cautioned authorities that delays in vaccine procurement could trigger a major public health emergency. She further noted that UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban had also highlighted the issue during discussions with Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry during his visit to the country last year. UNICEF has pledged to support the ongoing investigation launched by the current BNP-led government and provide relevant evidence regarding the vaccine shortage and the subsequent outbreak. Source: IANS

ADB Approves $600 Million Loan to Bangladesh for Economic Reforms

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The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $600 million policy-based loan (PBL) to Bangladesh to implement structural reforms aimed at improving economic management and governance. This package will focus on increasing domestic resource mobilization, enhancing the efficiency of public investments, promoting private sector development, and fostering transparency and accountability. “ADB’s PBL promptly responds to Bangladesh’s immediate development financing needs following the political transition. The reforms target improvements in economic management and governance as well as economic diversification and competitiveness,” said ADB Regional Lead Economist Aminur Rahman. With one of the world’s lowest tax-to-GDP ratios at 7.4%, Bangladesh faces significant revenue mobilization challenges. This program seeks to address them through key policy actions such as digitalization, rationalization of tax incentives, and measures to enhance taxpayer morale. The loan will also prioritize public investment efficiency through increased digitalization and promote private sector growth by streamlining regulations and creating a level playing field. The initiative includes over 130 online integrated services to simplify business operations and enhance foreign direct investment processes. Reforming state-owned enterprises and advancing governance performance monitoring are central to the program. Additionally, it emphasizes “whole of government” logistics reforms to reduce trade costs and encourage export diversification, critical for sustainable economic growth. ADB’s efforts align with its broader mission of fostering a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific. Established in 1966, ADB is owned by 69 members, 49 of which are from the region, and remains committed to eradicating extreme poverty across Asia. This financial support underscores ADB’s collaboration with the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and other development partners to drive economic transformation in Bangladesh. Source: ADB Org. Photo Credit: ADB Org.

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