Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Saturday called for collective efforts and greater public awareness to destroy Aedes mosquito breeding grounds and prevent dengue.
“All have to come forward to enhance awareness campaign and destroy the breeding ground of Aedes mosquito,” he said.
Rizvi made the remarks while distributing leaflets among city residents in the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) area as part of a campaign to raise awareness about dengue.
He urged residents to keep their homes and surrounding areas clean, including nearby drains and canals, and to take part in extensive awareness campaigns to prevent the spread of the disease. “It is very much possible to check Dengue through preventive measures,” he said.
The BNP leader recalled the coordinated efforts by party leaders, activists and like-minded physicians during the coronavirus pandemic under the leadership of BNP chief and incumbent Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
Describing government initiatives to control dengue, Rizvi said dengue testing had been made free and city corporations had been instructed to conduct cleanliness drives to destroy Aedes mosquito larvae.
He urged BNP leaders and activists to participate in cleanliness campaigns and help distribute mosquito-control medicines as part of efforts to curb dengue.
Rizvi said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman placed importance on reducing public suffering and issued necessary instructions to tackle the dengue situation.
On criticism of government activities by the opposition, he called on opposition parties to play a responsible role instead of misleading people.
He also rejected allegations of favouritism in the allocation of funds to lawmakers, saying there was no discrimination between members of the treasury bench and opposition.
“The treasury bench and opposition law makers get the allocation,” he said.
Rizvi said falsehood and propaganda could not mislead the public.
“People will not tolerate the creation of anarchy in the country in connivance with the undemocratic forces,” he said.
Among those present were BNP Joint Secretary General Advocate Abdus Salam Azad, MP; Dhaka Divisional Organising Secretary Kazi Sayedul Alam Babul; Voluntary Affairs Secretary Mir Sarafat Ali Sapu; Health Secretary Prof Dr Md Rafiqul Islam; and Dhaka South City BNP Convenor Rafiqul Alam Majnu, among others.
Dengue is transmitted through the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes. Removing stagnant water and keeping homes and surrounding areas clean can help reduce mosquito breeding sites.