Vested interests misled PM; 'misinformation' behind US trip rejection: Ctg mayor

Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Dr Shahadat Hossain has alleged that a "vested interest group" provided misleading information to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, leading to the rejection of a proposed visit to the United States aimed at exploring mosquito-control technology. 

The mayor said in a Facebook post today (2 June) that the trip had been arranged to assess the feasibility of establishing a production facility in Bangladesh for biological mosquito larvicides. 

"At a time when all preparations had been completed, a vested interest group confused Prime Minister Tarique Rahman by providing entirely false and misleading information about the visit," he wrote. 

According to Shahadat, Chattogram City Corporation used a biological larvicide produced by the US company Valent BioSciences between October 2025 and May this year, with what he described as positive results. 

PM says mosquito control methods can be developed at home, rejects US trip

Following that experience, the company had proposed establishing a joint venture production facility in Bangladesh, he said. 

Shahadat said the company had invited a delegation led by him to visit its factories and research laboratories in Chicago and Florida to assess the project's feasibility, adding that the US company had offered to cover all travel expenses. 

The mayor argued that establishing such a facility in Bangladesh could enable local production of mosquito-control chemicals, reduce foreign currency expenditure and strengthen efforts to combat mosquito-borne diseases, including dengue. 

A proposal seeking government approval for the mayor and several city corporation officials to travel to the US had been recently submitted, he mentioned. 

However, the trip was not approved by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman yesterday. 

In comments written on the official file, the prime minister wrote, "One does not need to go to Florida, US, to learn or observe mosquito control. Spending two or three hours beside any pond in the country after sunset would generate many innovative ideas about mosquito control." 

The remarks sparked widespread discussion on social media, where many users praised the decision. Foreign trips funded by contractors or private companies for government officials have long been discouraged, and the rejection was welcomed by many social media users. 

According to Chattogram City Corporation, the proposed delegation included Mayor Shahadat, along with the acting chief executive officer, chief conservancy officer, chief accounts officer and mosquito control officer. 

A representative from the Local Government Division was also proposed to join the delegation.