LGRD minister directs authorities to conduct drives against all kinds of mosquitoes
The minister issued the directive on Thursday while addressing the 8th inter-ministerial meeting to review dengue prevention activities of relevant authorities across the country.
Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (LGRD) Md Tajul Islam has directed officials of city corporations and other concerned authorities to take effective steps in eradicating all kinds of mosquitoes, including Aedes, Culex and Anopheles.
Md. Tajul Islam was chairing the 8th inter-ministerial meeting on Thursday to review the dengue prevention activities of city corporations and other ministries, divisions, departments, agencies across the country, including Dhaka metropolis.
Islam said the ministry has provided all sorts of assistance for mosquito control, including effective medicines, manpower and equipment.
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"Thanks to everyone's dedicated effort, including the mayors of Dhaka's two city corporations, we have been able to control (the outbreak of) Aedes mosquitoes," he said.
"Although there is currently no outbreak of Aedes mosquitoes, the prevalence of other species of mosquitoes is reported to have increased."
The minister directed the relevant authorities to take effective steps to free the population from the menace of mosquitoes.
Saying that mosquitoes develop a tolerance to pesticides after prolonged use, Tajul Islam urged relevant stakeholders to increase vigilance, and purchase effective pesticides for mosquito control.
The minister said, "There are mosquitoes in different countries of the world, including Singapore, Thailand and Japan. We have replicated the measures taken by countries that have brought mosquito outbreaks under control. One such measure has been the destruction of their breeding grounds, which has proved to be very successful."
He also said all forecasts about the numbers of dengue cases and fatalities in the country have proved to be false.
Islam praised Dhaka's two mayors for taking effective steps to control mosquitoes since WASA's handover of the responsibility of drainage management and canals to the two city corporations.
He said, "If city canals are kept clean, city dwellers will benefit; with their breeding grounds destroyed, mosquito outbreaks will be brought under control as well.
Md Tajul Islam said that in the interest of greater public good, one must work on one's own initiative without waiting for instructions. If everyone joins hands, no work will feel like a challenge and no goal will be unattainable.
The online meeting was conducted by Helaluddin Ahmed, Senior Secretary, Local Government Division.
Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, Talukder Abdul Khalek, and Md Jahangir Alam, mayors of Dhaka South, Khulna City Corporation, and Gazipur City Corporations respectively; Mohammed Khorshed Alam Sujon, administrator of Chittagong City Corporation attended the meeting, along with the chief executive officers and officials of all city corporations.
