‘Insecticide samples to arrive within couple of days’

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Md Atiqul Islam on Friday said samples of insecticides to exterminate Aedes mosquitoes will arrive from abroad in a day or two.

People are panicked as hundreds of dengue cases continue to be reported from across the country every day. Dhaka, the capital, is the epicentre of the disease.

Islam’s comment came amid heavy criticism over the city corporations’ failure to control mosquitoes responsible for dengue fever, according to UNB.

“We’ll purchase insecticide after testing the samples,” he said at the inauguration of an anti-mosquito drive and awareness raising programme at city’s Uttara area.

He said the DNCC will now be able to purchase insecticides but the government will ensure the standard.

“We have to work round the year to prevent the spread of Aedes mosquitoes. DNCC mobile courts have been visiting different buildings and taking legal actions if breeding ground of Aedes is found,” he said.

According to the government, dengue has claimed at least 14 lives since January but the unofficial death toll is much higher.

Dengue cases are still surging across the country as 1,712 more patients were hospitalised in 24 hours until Thursday morning. Of them, 1,150 cases were reported from the capital alone.