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By M Sazzad Hossain

DHAKA, April 19, 2025 (BSS) – Bangladesh army is set extend its hands to Dhaka North City Corporation’s (DNCC) anti-mosquito campaign agreeing to oversee the use of insecticide to control the vermin to prevent outbreak of dengue during the rainy season, municipal officials said today.

“Anti-Mosquito repellents are not used properly which is a major challenge for destroying the vermin in the city,” DNCC administrator Mohammad Ezaz told BSS.

He added: “The army has agreed to enforce their surveillance for the appropriate use of insecticides to annihilate mosquito.”

The official said DNCC managed to get military engagement to enforce the surveillance on anti-mosquito campaign by monitoring the use of insecticides.

“Since the issue is related to public health, we don’t want to take any risk just ahead of rainy season,” Ezaz said adding that an agreement with an agency entrusted with the task of monitoring the spraying of anti-mosquito chemicals was being scrapped.

Ezaz said DNCC took steps to set up mosquito traps within its area one such trap could cover 100 meters around it and kill three to four kilograms of these insects every day.

He said in the first phase the traps would be set up in DNCC No 1 zone covering entire Uttara and Khilkhet areas.

“The biggest challenge in the capital city is controlling mosquito menaces as the mosquito repellents are not sprayed properly. We do not have any online mechanism to properly monitor those who spray mosquito repellents,” the official said.

He added: “We have held talks with the army and they are willing to do the surveillance. Since it is a matter of public health and army is willing to do it,”

The DNCC administrator said that along with these activities, awareness campaigns will be intensified engaging youths in the field level.

“This time, 5,000 youths will be recruited on a voluntary basis to combat dengue,” he said.

DNCC, he said, planned to hold meetings with all hospital directors in Dhaka north city next week for preparedness against mosquito ahead of the dengue season to ask them to set up dedicated dengue corners in their facilities.

"Dengue is a major health crisis. Everyone has to be prepared to deal with this crisis. Since dengue mosquitoes breed at homestead, we all have to be aware of this,” he said.