All articles tagged with #bangladesh
Bangladesh’s combined tally of suspected and confirmed measles deaths has surpassed 500, underscoring a persistent outbreak and gaps in vaccination. Health officials are intensifying immunization campaigns and public-health messaging to curb transmission and prevent further fatalities.
Prof Sayedur Rahman, former aide to the interim government’s health ministry, rejects UNICEF’s claim that it warned of a measles vaccine shortage, saying there was no discussion of shortages in 2025 and that vaccine coverage data through December showed no shortfall; he adds that decisions on campaigns are made by the Inter-Agency Coordination Committee with UNICEF and WHO, and UNICEF communications did not warn of a measles outbreak.
Bangladesh is confronting a deadly measles outbreak with tens of thousands of suspected cases and hundreds of deaths, driven by vaccine supply delays and gaps in two-dose coverage. UNICEF, WHO, and local authorities have launched rapid vaccination campaigns, but the disease is spreading across most districts, raising concerns about regional transmission and potential risks to the United States as measles cases rise and vaccination rates dip below the 95% threshold, threatening elimination status.
Florida prosecutors have filed to seek the death penalty for Hisham Abugharbieh, 26, who has been indicted on two counts of first‑degree murder in the deaths of Bangladeshi University of South Florida doctoral students Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy. Bristy vanished on April 16 and Limon’s body was later found, with detectives linking evidence from the apartment scene and blood traces to Abugharbieh, who is also alleged to have asked ChatGPT for tips on disposing of bodies; his arraignment is scheduled for May 18.
Friends of USF doctoral students Nahida Bristy and Zamil Limon, both from Bangladesh, describe them as family away from home as authorities charge Limon’s roommate Hisham Abugharbieh with first-degree murder. Limon’s remains were found and additional remains were identified later; a grand jury will decide whether to pursue the death penalty. The Bangladeshi and Muslim student communities are rallying to support the victims’ families and coordinate appropriate rites at the university.
Bangladesh reports 194 measles-related child deaths and over 28,000 suspected cases since the outbreak began on March 15, with 3–5 children dying daily. A nationwide vaccination drive aims to immunize 18 million children, but only about a quarter have been vaccinated so far, and officials say it may take two more weeks to see the vaccination program’s impact. The PM blamed past governments for vaccine procurement issues, while the UN is assisting amid a shortage of testing kits.
Two University of South Florida doctoral students from Bangladesh, Nahida Bristy and Zamil Limon, who disappeared on April 16 and are now considered endangered, are at the center of a police operation after a barricaded person linked to the case was taken into custody. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office closed part of a north Tampa neighborhood during the incident, and the department has released few details as the investigation continues.
More than 250 people, including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals, are missing after a boat capsized in the Andaman Sea while headed to Malaysia; nine people were rescued and handed to authorities. UNHCR and IOM say the incident highlights the protracted Rohingya displacement and the lack of durable solutions amid Myanmar's violence in Rakhine state.
A boat carrying Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi migrants sank in the Andaman Sea, leaving at least 250 people missing and triggering search-and-rescue efforts, underscoring the ongoing peril faced by people fleeing conflict and poverty in the region.
About 250 Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants are missing after their overcrowded boat sank in the Andaman Sea, with nine rescued by the Bangladesh Coast Guard. The disaster highlights the deadly risks of irregular sea journeys connected to the Rohingya refugee crisis and the need for durable solutions and sustained international support, as authorities report boats are sometimes turned away and survivors describe harsh conditions and oil-related burns.
About 250 people are missing after a trawler carrying Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals capsized in the Andaman Sea, with preliminary estimates of around 280 aboard; the vessel left Teknaf for Malaysia and sank amid heavy winds, rough seas, and overcrowding. Nine people were rescued by a Bangladeshi Coast Guard vessel, and survivors described being lured by traffickers and spending days at sea after the capsize. UNHCR and IOM urged increased, sustained funding for life-saving aid for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and for host communities. The incident underscores the ongoing peril faced by Rohingya fleeing persecution and the protracted displacement since Myanmar’s 2017 crackdown.
A passenger bus carrying around 40 people plunged into the Padma River while boarding a ferry at the Daulatdia ferry terminal in Rajbari district, Bangladesh, killing at least 24 and leaving several missing as rescuers, aided by the army and divers, search the river.
A bus carrying about 40 passengers toppled into the Padma River in Rajbari district while waiting to board a ferry, killing at least 24 people and triggering a wide rescue operation that recovered 22 bodies; officials fear more may be missing as divers and local crews search the river.
Tarique Rahman was sworn in as Bangladesh’s prime minister, marking the BNP-backed return to power after 18 months of caretaker rule and signaling a potential turning point as the country grapples with inflation, jobs and governance. A 25‑member cabinet (plus 24 junior ministers) was sworn in, with Rahman underscoring serious economic and anti‑corruption reforms. The administration aims to balance ties with China, India and Western nations, while new electoral changes introduce a two‑term limit for prime ministers and strengthen judicial independence. Voter turnout was 59.44% and Hasina’s exile remains a backdrop.
Tarique Rahman was sworn in as Bangladesh’s prime minister after the BNP won a two-thirds parliamentary majority, with Jamaat‑e‑ Islami and its allies boycotting the ceremony. Rahman, returning from 17 years in exile, leads a mixed cabinet that includes Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury as finance minister and Khalilur Rahman as foreign minister, as the country seeks political stability, renewed investor confidence and revival of the garment sector. The open-air oath at the South Plaza was administered by President Mohammed Shahabuddin, under a transitional framework after an Yunus‑led interim government.