Writ filed seeking Tk 2cr compensation for 352 measles victim's families

A writ petition has been filed with the High Court seeking directives to provide Tk 2 crore in compensation to each family of the 352 children who reportedly died from measles and measles-like symptoms across Bangladesh over the past 55 days.

The public interest litigation was filed on Sunday (May 10) by Supreme Court lawyer Humayun Kabir Pallob.

The petition named the secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and other relevant officials as respondents, questioning alleged failures in ensuring child protection and addressing vaccine shortages.

According to the writ, recent media reports indicate that the measles outbreak has taken a serious turn nationwide, with official data showing an average of six child deaths per day over the last 55 days. The figure reportedly rose to around 10 deaths daily during the past week.

The petition also cited health bulletin data showing that the highest number of deaths occurred in the Dhaka division, while the lowest was recorded in Rangpur. In the last 24 hours alone, nine more children reportedly died after being infected.

Public health experts described the situation as “deeply alarming,” warning that the actual number of infections and deaths could be significantly higher than official estimates. Hospitals across the country are reportedly witnessing a surge in admissions, particularly among children.

Meanwhile, Health Services Division Secretary Md. Kamruzzaman Chowdhury said the government has launched an investigation into the deaths and vaccine shortages to determine whether negligence occurred at any level.

Doctors and health experts have attributed the rapid spread of the virus to irregular vaccination coverage and extreme weather conditions, urging parents to seek immediate medical attention if children develop fever or skin rashes.

The writ is expected to come up for hearing before the High Court in the coming days.