United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh has recorded one death from dengue fever and 113 new hospital admissions in the last 24 hours until 8:00am on Tuesday. With the latest fatality, the dengue death toll has risen to seven this year, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). The new death was reported in the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) area, it said. With the latest admissions, the total number of dengue cases reported in the country this year has reached 4,412. According to the DGHS, 61.9 percent of this year’s dengue patients are males, while 38.1 percent are females. Bangladesh reported 102,861 dengue cases and 413 dengue-related deaths in 2025, it said.

Four more children have died showing symptoms consistent with measles in the 24 hours until 8:00am on Sunday, raising Bangladesh’s combined tally of confirmed and suspected measles-related deaths to 652. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has classified the latest deaths as suspected measles fatalities. With the latest update, the number of suspected measles deaths has risen to 560, while the number of laboratory-confirmed measles deaths remains unchanged at 92. A total of 1,052 new suspected measles cases were reported during the 24-hour period, taking the cumulative number of suspected cases nationwide to 85, 951 Meanwhile, 75 new confirmed measles cases were recorded, bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed infections to 10,323. Since March 15, a total of 70,579 patients with suspected measles have been hospitalised across the country, of whom 66, 841 have recovered, according to DGHS data.

A five-and-a-half-month-old child has died with measles-like symptoms in Sylhet in the past 24 hours from 8:00am on Sunday, ending a three-day period during which no deaths were reported from measles or related complications in the division. The child, a resident of Sunamganj Sadar upazila, died while undergoing treatment at Sylhet Shaheed Shamsuddin Ahmed Hospital. With the latest fatality, the total number of deaths linked to measles and measles-like symptoms in Sylhet division has risen to 69, according to the latest report of the divisional office of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Of the total casualties, four were confirmed as measles deaths, while the remaining 65 are suspected. The report said 63 new patients suffering from measles or measles-like symptoms were admitted to hospitals across the division during the period. The number of patients currently undergoing treatment in hospitals across the division now stands at 295. Meanwhile, no new measles cases were confirmed through laboratory testing in the division during the reporting period.

Five more children have died from measles-like symptoms in 24 hours until 8:00 am on Saturday, raising Bangladesh’s combined tally of confirmed and suspected measles-related deaths to 648. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the latest five deaths have been classified as suspected measles fatalities. With the latest update, the number of suspected measles deaths has risen to 556, while the number of laboratory-confirmed measles deaths remains unchanged at 92. A total of 733 new suspected measles cases were reported during the 24-hour period, taking the cumulative number of suspected cases nationwide to 84,899. Meanwhile, 63 new confirmed measles cases were recorded, bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed infections to 10,248. Since March 15, a total of 69,606 patients with suspected measles have been hospitalised across the country, of whom 65,852 have recovered, according to DGHS data.

One more child has died from measles-like symptoms in the 24 hours until 8:00am on Friday, raising Bangladesh’s combined tally of confirmed and suspected measles-related deaths to 643. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has categorised the latest death as suspected measles fatality, saying no confirmed measles deaths were recorded during the period. With the latest update, the number of suspected measles deaths has risen to 551, while the number of laboratory-confirmed measles deaths remains unchanged at 92. A total of 1,027 suspected measles cases were reported during the 24-hour period, taking the cumulative number of suspected cases nationwide to 84,266. Meanwhile, 126 new confirmed measles cases were recorded, bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed infections to 10,185. Since March 15, a total of 68,934 patients with suspected measles have been hospitalised across the country, of whom 65,275 have recovered, according to DGHS data.

In a major relief for patients suffering from cardiovascular and renal diseases, the government has announced extensive tax and Value-Added Tax (VAT) exemptions on cardiac stents, dialysis filters, and other life-saving medical equipment in the proposed national budget for FY 2026-27. Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury placed the proposed budget in parliament on Thursday. The budget proposal seeks to completely withdraw the 10 percent VAT imposed at the supply level on cardiac stents. Following this tax exemption, the price of each stent is expected to drop by approximately Tk 20,000, significantly reducing the financial burden of critical cardiac surgeries. Similarly, the government has moved to ease the medical costs for kidney patients by completely withdrawing the 15 percent VAT and 5 percent Advance Tax (AT) on the import of dialysis filters. This will notably reduce the retail price of dialysis filters, bringing down the average cost of a single regular dialysis session by around Tk 800 for patients. Furthermore, the existing 7.5 percent Advance Tax on the import of hemodialysis blood tubing sets—another crucial component used in kidney failure treatments—has also been completely withdrawn.

The government has revoked the licence of Ad-Din Hospital over the deaths of six newborns allegedly due to negligence. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) issued a notification on Thursday in this regard. According to the notification, the licence of the hospital was cancelled as per section 11(2)(b) of the Medical Practice and Private Clinics and Laboratories (Regulation) Ordinance, 1982 as the response to a show-cause notice earlier issued over the deaths of the newborns was not satisfactory. Six newborn deaths at Ad-Din Hospital linked to authorities’ negligence: Probe body However, the hospital can appeal to the government within 30 days for reconsidering the decision as per the law, it said. Earlier on Wednesday, Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain the government was not satisfied with Ad-Din Hospital’s explanation over the deaths of the six newborns, describing the response as inadequate and lacking key information. He had also said the ministry would discuss the matter further and take necessary action, asserting that the government remained firm in its previous stance regarding the hospital. The DGHS formed an investigation committee after six newborns died in the post-operative ward of Ad-Din Hospital at Moghbazar on May 27, shortly after being kept under observation. Minister Sakhawat Husain disclosed the findings of the probe report on June 4, saying the committee found evidence of negligence by the hospital authorities in connection with the deaths of the newborns. On the same day, the DGHS issued a show-cause notice to the hospital asking it to explain within three days why its licence should not be revoked over the deaths of the newborns. Following an appeal filed by the hospital authorities, the DGHS later granted two more days until June 9 for submitting the reply. On June 6, the hospital authorities proposed providing lifetime free medical treatment, employment opportunities, and free medical education for the families of the victims. Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir, a member of the hospital's legal team, announced the compensation package during a press conference, outlining the various measures taken by the hospital authorities in the wake of such an incident.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain on Wednesday said the government is not satisfied with Ad-Din Medical College Hospital’s explanation over the deaths of six newborns allegedly linked to negligence, describing the response to a show-cause notice as inadequate and lacking key information. Speaking to reporters at his office in the Secretariat, the minister said the hospital’s written explanation contained excessive and largely irrelevant information instead of addressing the key issues. “Many unnecessary things were included in the response, while the required information was not adequately provided. So, the health ministry is not satisfied with the explanation,” he said. Sakhawat Husain said the ministry will discuss the matter further and take necessary action at its next meeting. He also said the government remains firm in its previous stance regarding the hospital. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) formed an investigation committee after six newborns died in the post-operative ward of Ad-Din Medical College Hospital at Moghbazar on May 27, shortly after being kept under observation. Minister Sakhawat Husain disclosed the findings of the probe report on June 4, saying the committee found evidence of negligence by the hospital authorities in connection with the deaths of the newborns. On the same day, the DGHS issued a show-cause notice to the hospital asking it to explain why its licence should not be revoked over the deaths of the newborns. On June 6, the hospital authorities proposed providing lifetime free medical treatment, employment opportunities, and free medical education for the families of the victims. Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir, a member of the hospital's legal team, announced the compensation package during a press conference, outlining the various measures taken by the hospital authorities in the wake of such an incident.

More than 23,000 posts of doctors, nurses and health workers remain vacant in government hospitals across the country, Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain told Parliament on Wednesday. “Out of 41,806 approved posts for doctors in government hospitals, 9,407 are currently vacant,” he said, while replying to a scripted question from treasury bench lawmaker Khairul Kabir Khokon (Narsingdi-1). The health minister also said 5,032 of the 49,501 approved nursing posts remain unfilled, while 8,784 posts of health workers are vacant against a total approved 26,544 positions in the government hospitals across the country. As a result, a total of 94,628 doctors, nurses and health workers are currently serving against 117,851 approved posts in government hospitals nationwide.  

Three more children have died from measles-like symptoms in the 24 hours until 8:00am on Tuesday, raising Bangladesh’s combined tally of confirmed and suspected measles-related deaths to 631. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the latest three deaths have been classified as suspected measles fatalities. Bangladesh records 7 more suspected measles deaths With the latest update, the number of suspected measles deaths has risen to 539, while the number of laboratory-confirmed measles deaths remains unchanged at 92. A total of 980 new suspected measles cases were reported during the 24-hour period, taking the cumulative number of suspected cases nationwide to 81,084. Meanwhile, 54 new confirmed measles cases were recorded, bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed infections to 9,833. Since March 15, a total of 66,170 patients with suspected measles have been hospitalised across the country, of whom 62,292 have recovered, according to DGHS data.