A Dhaka court on Monday declined to accept a case filed against former Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, former Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum, and three other former officials over allegations related to delays in importing measles and rubella vaccines.
The application was submitted by MP Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Iqbal of Kishoreganj-5 constituency before the court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Jashita Islam. After a hearing, the court rejected the complaint.
According to the petition, the accused failed to ensure the timely import of measles-rubella vaccines, leading to a severe vaccine shortage and exposing children across the country to health risks. The complaint alleged that the previous vaccine procurement process through UNICEF was discontinued and replaced with an open tender system, causing lengthy delays in vaccine supply.
The petition further claimed that UNICEF officials had repeatedly warned the authorities about a potential shortage through several letters, but the warnings were allegedly ignored. As a result, the complainant alleged, measles infections increased significantly and many children suffered severe health consequences.
Besides Yunus and Nurjahan Begum, those named in the complaint included former Health Secretary Md. Saidur Rahman, former Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Prof. Dr. Muhammad Sayedur Rahman, and former Director General of Health Services Prof. Dr. Md. Abu Jafar.
The complainant's lawyers said they would review the court’s written order before deciding whether to challenge the decision in a higher court.