State Minister for Water Resources Farhad Hossain Azad today spoke at Shingpara Government Primary School at the Sadar upazila in Panchagarh. Photo: BSS

 PANCHAGARH, April 20, 2026 (BSS) - State Minister for Water Resources Farhad Hossain Azad today urged parents to vaccinate their children paying no heed to rumours as the government-sponsored immunisation campaign was aimed to save lives.

   “The government is committed to save children's lives,” he told reporters after opening the Measles-Rubella Vaccination Campaign 2026 at Shingpara Government Primary School at the Sadar upazila of the district.

   The junior minister said measles were rapidly spreading among children aged between six months and five years across 30 upazilas in about 18 districts which were visibly more exposed to measles and rubella.

   He said out of 64 administrative districts Measles-Rubella outbreak was observed in 56 but the situation was still under control while statistics suggested 81 percent of the inflicted children were five-year-old children while 34 percent were nine-month-old infants.

   “This is precisely why the government has taken swift action,” said Azad, who was elected to parliament from a constituency of the north-western Panchagarh. 

   According to people in the neighbourhood and immunisation workers said some parents were sceptical about the vaccines effectiveness while some were misled by a notion that vaccines could be counterproductive for children.

   Azad said the government's goal was to ensure children's healthcare by effectively spearheading vaccination drive to prevent outspread of measles and rubella among children and simultaneously administer them with Vitamin A nationwide.

   “Gaps in routine vaccination could lead to further disease spread,” he said.

   The state minister told reporters 136,527 doses of vaccine were readied to be administered during the ongoing campaign in Panchagarh and additional vaccines would be supplied if the situation demanded.