A measles outbreak in Bangladesh has claimed nearly 900 lives since March 2026, with children making up the majority of victims — a crisis rooted in years of declining vaccination coverage worsened by pandemic disruptions and growing vaccine hesitancy. Coverage in the country has fallen to just 87%, well below the roughly 95% threshold required for herd immunity against one of the world's most contagious diseases. Authorities launched an emergency nationwide vaccination campaign for young children in April, backed by the WHO, UNICEF, and Gavi, but experts warn that without sustained routine immunisation and restored public trust in vaccines, further outbreaks remain a serious risk — both in Bangladesh and in other countries where coverage has similarly eroded.