Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Mohammad Atiqul Islam said Aedes mosquitoes, dengue and chikungunya must be prevented by building a social movement for well-being.
He was speaking as the chief guest at the Ashkona Haji Camp, Dokkhinkhan area of the capital on Thursday morning, in a campaign to eradicate Aedes mosquitoes, dengue and chikungunya. The DNCC mayor said that there is no substitute for a healthy environment for well-being, and to ensure a healthy environment, everyone needs to be involved in the social movement for clean-up activities. Md. Atiqul Islam said that with the spontaneous participation of all under the slogan "Clean homes, 10 minutes at 10am every Saturday” should be implemented.
He said that necessary legal action, including fines have been in works, if any aedes larvae were found in any government or private building.
The DNCC mayor said that water tubs, unused tires, coconut shells, open packets of chips, various types of open containers, roofs or other places should be taken care of so that water does not accumulate on them for more than three days. Md. Atiqul Islam said free dengue testing has been arranged for the city dwellers in 46 urban health centers of Dhaka North City Corporation.
He said that the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has already approved projects worth Tk 4,026 crore for the construction and development of roads, infrastructure and drainage systems in 18 new wards of the extended capital.
The DNCC mayor said the Dhaka North City Corporation is working on short, medium and long term plans to reduce water logging and control pollution in the city.
Md. Atiqul Islam said that in earlier years, the roads in different areas of DNCC would be submerged due to light rains and the city dwellers would have to suffer a lot due to waterlogging. However, this time, despite the record amount of rain, the city dwellers did not have to suffer from waterlogging problem. After his keynote address as the chief guest, the DNCC mayor inspected the mosquito eradication campaign in the area and in his presence the owner of the building was fined Tk 5 lakh through a mobile court for consisting of aedes mosquito larva in a building under construction.
He further visited various areas of the DNCC in an open truck equipped with various banners and festoons against aedes mosquito, dengue and chikungunya to increase public awareness among the city-dwellers.
Among others, Dhaka-18 MP, Mohammad Habib Hasan, DNCC Chief Health Officer Brigadier General Md Jobaidur Rahman and local councilors were present.
