Mosquito swarms ‘denser than air’ hit Hatirjheel, nearby areas

Infograph: TBS

Highlights:

• Complaints are coming from New Eskaton, Karwan Bazar, Mogbazar, now called "mosquito zones"
• Residents are frustrated with Rajuk, city corporation's inaction
• The problem also hurts local businesses
• Worsening infestation raises fears of dengue, chikungunya outbreaks
• Health experts fear Hatirjheel could become a disease breeding ground
• Mosquito protection businesses are thriving.

Residents near Dhaka's Hatirjheel are battling an unprecedented surge in mosquito populations, with some describing the infestation as so severe it feels "denser than the air."

The relentless biting insects are not only disrupting daily life but also raising serious health concerns as the monsoon season approaches.

Rabeya Khatun, a resident of the Biam Road, shared her family's nightly struggles. "We burn coils, use sprays, and nets, but the mosquitoes won't just stop. My children wake up with bites every morning," she told The Business Standard.

Many of her neighbours report similar experiences, with the mosquito problem worsening in recent weeks.

The issue is widespread, with complaints coming from New Eskaton, Karwan Bazar, Mogbazar, and nearby areas, which locals now call "mosquito zones."

Residents are frustrated by what they see as inaction from local authorities. They claim that both the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), which oversees Hatirjheel, and the city corporation are failing to maintain the area properly. They point to a lack of regular cleaning and insecticide spraying around the lake next to the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, a part of the Hatirjheel project.

Sumaiya Akhtar, a resident of New Eskaton, expressed concern for her 5-month-old baby. "Even inside a mosquito net, there's no relief. My baby has red spots from bites," she said.

The mosquito problem is also hurting local businesses. Mohammad Shafiq, a shopkeeper in the area, noted a drop in customers after sunset. "People avoid coming here in the evening. It feels like a mosquito zone. I burn two to three coils a day, but it's still unbearable. I often have to close early," he said.

Habibur Rahman from Karwan Bazar echoed the sentiment of many, saying, "City corporation workers rarely visit. They spray insecticide sometimes, but the mosquitoes come back the next day. We need a permanent solution, not temporary fixes."

The worsening mosquito infestation has raised fears of a dengue or chikungunya outbreak, especially with the monsoon season approaching. Dhaka saw a sharp rise in dengue cases last year, and health experts worry that areas like Hatirjheel could become breeding grounds for disease-carrying mosquitoes.

Taslima Begum from New Eskaton has taken drastic steps to protect her baby. "I spent Tk10,000 to install nets on all the doors and windows to keep mosquitoes out. The city corporation sprayed insecticide, but it didn't help. We believe the mosquitoes are coming from the dirty water and overgrown bushes in Hatirjheel," she said.

Businesses that sell mosquito protection are thriving. Mohammad Tuhin, director of Yes Collection Bangladesh, which installs mosquito nets, told TBS, "Normally, our work increases during the dengue season. But this year, the mosquito problem is much worse than last year. Several of our teams are now working every day in different areas. We're installing nets worth over Tk50,000 daily. The workload has gone up a lot."

He added that they are receiving a high volume of orders from areas like Mogbazar, Dilu Road, Uttara, and Narayanganj.

The mosquito issue is even affecting outdoor workers. A Dilu Road resident shared a Facebook post, saying, "In this intense heat, security guards are sitting with socks on their hands and feet, earmuffs on their heads, and blankets around them. Even though they're sweating, there's no way to avoid the mosquito bites. Spraying repellent or burning coils doesn't work here."

In response, Azizun Necha, assistant health officer (Zone-3) of Dhaka North City Corporation, said action is being taken. "When we get complaints, we send special teams to spray insecticides. There's no shortage of effort. We're also treating the water in Hatirjheel, and hopefully, the mosquito problem will improve soon."

Md Asif Iqbal, senior insect control officer of Dhaka North, explained the difficulty of controlling the infestation. "Culex mosquitoes are very active right now, so it may seem like our efforts aren't working. But we're continuing our regular control measures and will launch a combined mosquito control campaign soon," he told TBS.

"Culex mosquitoes breed in lakes, and the effect of insecticide doesn't last long because waste builds up quickly. Still, we've restarted operations and are testing Bti (a biological larvicide) in some areas," he added.

Rajuk Supervising Engineer (Civil) Muhammad Mozaffar Uddin told TBS, "The Elevated Expressway authorities have taken over the Karwan Bazar section of Hatirjheel for their work, so they are in charge of maintaining it. We've asked them several times to keep the area clean and control mosquitoes, but their response has been inadequate. If they hand that part over to us, we will take proper care of it."

He added, "Sewer and stormwater lines are connected to Hatirjheel, so we can't reduce pollution even with chemicals. It's not possible for us to handle this alone. Unless the sewer connections are closed, the pollution will continue. If the water gets cleaner, mosquito and insect problems will also decrease."