PM to launch 3 month dengue prevention campaign Saturday

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will launch a three-month special cleanliness and public awareness campaign on September 12 to prevent dengue disease and contain its spread.

The campaign will begin on Saturday as the three-month considered as a high-risk period for dengue.

The Prime Minister directed the authorities to conduct coordinated field-level activities involving local administrations, voluntary organisations and students.

He gave the directives at a meeting on dengue prevention held at Bangladesh Secretariat here this afternoon, said Prime Minister's Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu.

The Prime Minister has called upon all to participate actively in the campaign alongside government efforts to prevent the spread of the disease.

He stressed that dengue prevention should not rely solely on mosquito-control measures, saying greater emphasis must be placed on cleanliness and public awareness.

Under the campaign, the respective city corporations will coordinate activities in metropolitan areas, while deputy commissioners will coordinate them at the district level. At the upazila level, upazila nirbahi officers (UNOs) will oversee local activities.

Hasan Shiplu said volunteers from the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, along with Scouts, Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC), Girl Guides, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society and school and college students, will participate in the cleanliness and awareness campaign.

Every Saturday, volunteers and students will visit homes and other establishments to take part in cleanliness drives. They will also identify potential breeding grounds for Aedes mosquitoes and encourage people to keep their homes and surrounding areas clean.

The Prime Minister also directed the authorities to conduct extensive dengue awareness campaigns through the mass media and social media, with particular emphasis on television broadcasts and regular dissemination of dengue-prevention messages on social platforms.

"The next three months are crucial for the dengue situation. Alongside government initiatives, we must ensure active participation of the people," the Prime Minister said.

He stressed the need to encourage people to regularly clean their homes, educational institutions, public and private establishments and surrounding areas.

Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu, Information and Broadcasting Minister Andaleeve Rahman Partha, State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam, State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr MA Muhit, State Minister for Information Yasser Khan Choudhury, Prime Minister's Special Assistant for Health Dr SM Ziauddin Hyder, Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani, Prime Minister's Principal Secretary ABM Abdus Sattar, Prime Minister's Special Assistant Dr. Md Shakirul Islam Khan, Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Abdus Salam, Information Secretary Mahbuba Farjana and senior officials concerned were present.