Case sought against Yunus over child’s death

A father whose nine-month-old daughter died after contracting measles has filed a petition with a Dhaka court seeking permission to lodge a criminal case against former chief adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and three others, alleging negligence in connection with the country’s measles outbreak.

Sirajul Islam filed the application on Sunday before the court of Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Jashita Islam. After recording the complainant’s statement, the court kept the matter under consideration and fixed 12 July for issuing its order.

The complainant’s lawyer, Taslima Jahan Popy, confirmed the matter.
The other accused named in the petition are former health adviser Nur Jahan Begum, former director general of the Directorate General of Health Services Dr Md Abu Jafar, and former chief adviser’s press secretary Shafiqul Alam.

According to the petition, Sirajul Islam’s nine-month-old daughter, Sauda Muskan, was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital after developing a fever.

The complainant alleged that her condition deteriorated due to a shortage of hospital beds and oxygen, negligence by doctors and nurses, and failure to provide proper and timely treatment.

The petition further claimed that the child could not receive the measles vaccine on time as it was unavailable when required. She later contracted measles and died, according to the complaint.

The complainant alleged that the interim government led by Prof Yunus, the then health adviser and the officials concerned failed to ensure timely procurement, supply and implementation of the national measles vaccination programme.

The petition claimed that such negligence resulted in the deaths of hundreds of children across the country and left thousands of others undergoing treatment.

It also alleged that the accused violated the state’s constitutional responsibility to protect public health and life, abused their authority, neglected their duties and failed to fulfil their legal obligations.
The allegations have not yet been proven in court.