Environmental activists call for crash program to combat dengue
Collected Photo
Environmental activists have called for ensuring a clean environment, regularly destroying Aedes mosquito breeding sites, effective disease surveillance, rapid diagnosis and treatment, and active public participation to combat dengue.
They made the call at a human chain in front of the National Press Club on Saturday, October 10. The event was jointly organized by the Environment and Climate Change Movement (PARIJA), Jonoudyog, Environment Movement Platform, Poribesh Barta and Mukto Bayu Sebon Sangstha.
Speakers at the human chain said the government had failed to take effective measures to combat dengue. They said there was a lack of coordination between mosquito control activities and budgets of the two Dhaka city corporations, along with weaknesses in management. As a result, questions have arisen over the effectiveness of initiatives taken to prevent dengue.
They said the number of dengue deaths this year was alarming. The government must urgently launch a crash program to address the situation. If necessary, coordinated initiatives must be implemented with direct public participation. Dengue control must not be limited to mosquito eradication or repellent activities, they added.
The human chain was chaired by Engineer Md. Abdus Sobhan, president of PARIJA, and moderated by Russell Islam Sujon, a member of Jonoudyog.
Speakers included PARIJA General Secretary Ferdous Ahmed Ujjal; Hasan Tarik Chowdhury Sohel, general secretary of the Democratic Lawyers Association and a Supreme Court lawyer; Jonoudyog Member Secretary Tarik Hossain Mithul; PARIJA Joint General Secretaries Amir Hasan and Md. Selim; Santru Mitra of Poribesh Barta; Maksudul Kabir Sohel; and Swoporya Akashlina.
Saifullah Talukder, a former deputy director of the Department of Environment, read out the concept paper at the event.
