NCP urges emergency over measles outbreak in Bangladesh

National Citizen Party (NCP) spokesperson Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan on Sunday called for an immediate declaration of a national emergency over the measles outbreak in Bangladesh, urging the government and opposition to set aside blame-games and work together to contain the crisis.

“The situation of children across the country due to measles is extremely precarious. The government and opposition must work hand in hand to address this,” Asif told a press conference at the party's temporary office in Banglamotor in the afternoon.

Demanding a probe into the sudden surge of measles cases, Asif said it was essential to investigate whose negligence or irregularities allowed the outbreak to spiral out of control.

At the same press conference, the party unveiled a preliminary list of 100 candidates for upazila and municipality-level local government elections.

Pressing the government to publish a clear roadmap and timeline for the polls, Asif said: “The government says local elections will be held soon, but we have received no framework on when or how. A concrete roadmap must be announced without delay.”

He warned that allowing incumbent city corporation administrators, most of whom he identified as BNP-aligned to contest mayoral elections while still in office would compromise electoral integrity from the outset.

He also accused several administrators of neglecting their duties, citing cities plastered with political posters left entirely unaddressed.

Asif raised concerns over a renewed deterioration of law and order, saying mob culture had yet to be reined in.

On border tensions, he alleged a fresh spike in killings of Bangladeshi nationals by India's Border Security Force (BSF), urging the government to summon the Indian High Commissioner and demand an explanation.

He also condemned what he described as rising communal violence against Muslims in West Bengal following the BJP's assumption of power there, adding that the new chief minister had threatened Bangladesh with “push-ins.”

Asif called on Dhaka to respond firmly and build stronger diplomatic capacity to counter such threats from across the border, reports UNB.