A formal petition has been lodged with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), demanding an immediate investigation into former Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus and former Health Advisor Dr. Nurjahan Begum over alleged embezzlement and massive irregularities in the procurement of measles vaccines and syringes.
Supreme Court lawyers Biplob Kumar Dash and Barrister Sanaullah Nure Sagar filed the application with the ACC Chairman on Monday (April 13). The petitioners are pushing for an urgent probe in the public interest, citing that catastrophic administrative failures and potential corruption during the previous interim government’s tenure have directly cost children their lives.
A Manufactured Crisis? The core of the allegation centers on a devastating nationwide measles outbreak, which has reportedly claimed the lives of over a hundred children.
According to the petition, the previous interim administration inexplicably altered the established vaccine procurement protocols without any contingency planning. Despite sitting on a colossal health budget of approximately Tk 42,000 crore, the administration failed to procure essential vaccines and syringes on time. This logistical paralysis allowed a preventable infectious disease to escalate into a deadly epidemic.
Thousands of children are currently fighting for their lives in hospitals across the country due to inadequate preventive measures.
“As a conscious citizen and a lawyer of the Bangladesh Supreme Court, the deaths of nearly a hundred children due to the measles outbreak have deeply pained, alarmed, and concerned me,” the petition stated.
Mounting Public Anger The petition notes that the tragic loss of life has triggered massive public backlash. Health experts and citizens have taken to social and electronic media to hold Dr. Yunus and Dr. Nurjahan Begum directly accountable for the crisis. Furthermore, the incumbent government has publicly attributed the current severe shortage of medical supplies to the mismanagement of the previous administration.
Demand for Accountability The petitioners argue that the total lack of transparency regarding the sudden shift in procurement methods, combined with the failure to utilize a massive health budget, are clear indicators of systemic corruption.
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