Online Desk: Local Government, Rural Development (LGRD) & Co-operatives Minister Md. Tazul Islam, MP, today put emphasis on the collective efforts of all concerned to control dengue outbreak by increasing mass-awareness campaigns. “We did not skip any approach to tackle the dengue outbreak and we also observed instances in different countries like India, Singapore and Australia… Unfortunately, the present number of the dengue patient has already crossed all the previous records,” the minister told the workshop organized for journalists at a city hotel. The local government ministry arranged the workshop on “Dengue Prevention and Control: Information Sharing Session” for knowledge sharing on the country’s latest dengue situation and its preventive measures with all stakeholders.

The LGRD minister said there was no shortage of preparation and initiative from the ministry to control the Aedes mosquito-borne disease since the beginning of the year. “Despite all our efforts, this year the death toll from the infection of dengue is very painful and distressing…We do not want even one death from dengue,” the minister mentioned. The LGRD minister said according to the World Health Organization (WHO), seven lakh people die worldwide every year from various mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and malaria. “A country like ours faces many challenges in dealing with mosquito-borne diseases due to geographical location,” Tajul added.

He said, “Although it is reported that the first dengue disease came to Bangladesh in 1964, we got the existence of this disease for the first time in 2019.” Pointing out that the dengue infection and death rates this year exceeded all previous records, the minister said, experience has shown that public awareness and public participation are the main factors in mosquito prevention. He further said the ministries concerned have taken various steps to create public awareness through different promotional activities through various TV channels. Replying to a query, the minister said fines have been imposed by the city corporations where the source or larvae of Aedes mosquitoes have been found.

Local Government Division’s Secretary Muhammad Ibrahim chaired the workshop while senior operational officer and Task Team Leader of the World Bank Iffat Mahmud presented her keynote paper there. World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh Abdoulaye Seck, Additional Secretary of Urban Development of Local Government Division Dr. Malay Choudhury and Joint Secretary of Urban Development-3 of Local Government Division Farzana Mannan, among others, took part in the programme.