Fogging, larviciding, clean-ups planned: Will they curb dengue this monsoon?
Plans aim to reduce waterlogging and curb mosquito-borne diseases before monsoon
Local Government Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the government has adopted various action plans to control waterlogging and dengue in Dhaka North and South City Corporations.
He said that if these plans are implemented, it will be possible to reduce waterlogging and control dengue, chikungunya and other mosquito-borne diseases in the upcoming monsoon season.
He made the remarks today (27 April) in a written reply to a question from Cumilla-9 MP Md Abul Kalam in the Jatiya Sangsad. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed presided over the session. The responses were tabled during the day's question-answer session.
The minister said Dhaka North City Corporation is carrying out pre-monsoon control of Culex mosquitoes and monsoon control of Aedes, alongside identifying high-risk areas and implementing integrated mosquito control.
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He said surveillance has been strengthened, with emphasis on raising public awareness through coordination among relevant government agencies.
Morning larviciding and elimination of breeding sites, followed by evening fogging, are ongoing, he said. Dhaka North is also conducting joint mosquito control in hotspots such as blocked canals, drains and ditches, along with cleaning 6,000 bighas of water hyacinth-infested water bodies, he added.
The minister said under the slogan "Saturday's pledge: Keep our homes clean", cleanliness drives are being conducted every Saturday from 8am to 12pm in 25 high-risk wards identified by the Directorate General of Health Services and the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).
He said that under the "Operation Clean Home: Healthy Lives" programme, drives were conducted in 25 dengue-prone wards from 8 to 12 April. Hospital surveillance is also being used to collect dengue patients' addresses, followed by targeted mosquito control by Quick Response Teams (QRTs) from 21 April.
Alongside chemical insecticides, the biological agent Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (BTI) is being procured after pilot use, he said. The quality of Dhaka North's insecticides is also being randomly tested by five public and private institutions.
He said awareness campaigns using leaflets, booklets, bulk SMS and school-based programmes are ongoing, alongside regular monitoring of insecticide use and effectiveness in line with technical committee guidelines.
The minister said monitoring teams have been formed to identify high-risk areas and run special crash programmes. Mobile courts are being operated in vulnerable zones to raise awareness and impose fines where needed, while campaigns continue in schools, religious institutions, markets and other crowded areas through print and electronic media.
Mirza Fakhrul said six portable pumps have been procured to improve rainwater drainage. Dhaka South currently has three discharge outlets, with another under construction. A new major drainage outlet from Gulistan to Sadarghat is planned with World Bank funding.
As part of a long-term plan, consultants have been engaged to conduct surveys and feasibility studies for constructing the necessary number of outlets, he added.
The minister expressed hope that proper implementation of these plans would reduce waterlogging and control dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases in the coming monsoon season.
