A special measles-rubella vaccination drive began in areas under Dhaka north and south city corporations, Mymensingh and Barishal city corporations this morning amid a surge in measles cases and deaths.

Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain inaugurated the campaign at Nagar Bhaban in Gulistan around 11:00am.

MA Muhit, state minister for health, inaugurated the programme at Karail slum in the capital.

Around 12.20 lakh children aged six months to under five years are expected to be vaccinated under this initiative, according to Shahriar Sajjad, deputy director of the Expanded Program on Immunization.