Lawyers demand trial of ex-advisers Yunus, Nurjahan over vaccine negligence
The demand was raised during a human chain programme organised under the banner of “Sadharan Ainjeebibrindo” in front of the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court this afternoon (13 May).
A group of lawyers has demanded the trial of former interim government chief adviser Muhammad Yunus and former health adviser Nurjahan Begum, alleging negligence in the country's vaccination programme that they say contributed to deaths from measles and other diseases.
The demand was raised during a human chain programme organised under the banner of "Sadharan Ainjeebibrindo" in front of the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court this afternoon (13 May).
Speakers at the programme alleged that wrong policy decisions by the interim government created a vaccine shortage in the country, resulting in the deaths of many children.
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They claimed that despite warnings from Unicef, the interim government decided to replace the existing vaccine procurement system with an open tender method. According to the protesters, ignoring Unicef's recommendations led to a severe shortage of measles vaccines nationwide.
The lawyers said that more than 400 children died after failing to receive vaccines on time.
Speaking on behalf of the organisers, lawyer Kays Ahmed Arnob said Nurjahan Begum was assigned responsibility for the health ministry despite lacking experience in the sector.
"Not only measles vaccines, there was gross negligence regarding other vaccines as well. We demand a proper trial," he said.
Another lawyer, Silfat Aminul Karim, alleged that the then government cancelled previous agreements without putting alternative arrangements in place.
"The government must take responsibility for these premature deaths of children, and we demand justice from the current administration," he said.
Towards the end of the programme, several lawyers staged a symbolic protest by covering their eyes and mouths with black cloth.
Lawyer Farzana Yasmin Rakhi said, "The deaths of more than 400 children are not merely negligence; this is a crime."
Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said nine more children died from measles and related symptoms between 8am yesterday and 8am today.
During the same period, 1,489 patients with measles-like symptoms were admitted to hospitals across the country, including 126 laboratory-confirmed measles cases.
So far this year, at least 69 children have died from confirmed measles infections in Bangladesh. In addition, 363 children have died with symptoms consistent with measles. This takes the total number of deaths from confirmed measles and related symptoms to 432
