To tackle the dengue situation in Rajshahi Metropolitan City, the Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) has adopted an integrated action plan. In a recent exchange of views meeting held at the City Hall conference room of Nagar Bhaban, RCC Administrator Md. Mahfuzur Rahman Riton, referring to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's three-month-long program for dengue prevention, stated that the Prime Minister believes in action, not just words. At the same time, as a worker of the Prime Minister himself, he also emphasized action-oriented steps. From this meeting, emphasis was placed on the collective cooperation of city dwellers and increasing awareness to combat dengue.
Administrator Riton further stated in his speech that the City Corporation has undertaken multi-faceted initiatives to protect the citizens of Rajshahi city from the risk of dengue. However, this effort is not solely the City Corporation's; citizens must also play a responsible role. He mentioned that dengue prevention is a collective challenge where the active participation of everyone—government, local administration, and general public—is essential. The comprehensive cooperation of city dwellers is highly desirable to realize the dream of building a clean, safe, and dengue-free Rajshahi.
Among the steps taken by RCC to prevent dengue are regular public awareness creation, destruction of Aedes mosquito breeding grounds, intensified cleanliness drives across the city, and making mosquito eradication activities more effective. Administrator Riton specifically mentioned that if water is not allowed to accumulate in discarded tires, coconut shells, or any other containers, the proliferation of Aedes mosquitoes can be significantly reduced. He reminded that destroying mosquito larvae is one of the most effective ways to prevent dengue.
Administrator Riton humbly urged citizens to clean their homes and surroundings at least once a week. He stated that developing this habit will not only help prevent dengue but also contribute to maintaining Rajshahi's traditional reputation as a 'Clean City, Green City'. This cleanliness and greening initiative is an integral part of the plan to redesign Rajshahi Metropolitan City. As part of this master plan, work has already begun with a target of planting 250,000 trees, and the Administrator expressed hope that more saplings than the set target would be planted.
Expert doctors present at the exchange of views meeting provided important opinions on various aspects of dengue prevention. Dr. Mofakhkharul Islam, Deputy Registrar of Rajshahi Medical University, emphasized everyone's role in increasing public awareness and advised conducting special cleanliness activities once a week in homes and twice a week in various establishments. Professor Dr. Azizul Haque Azad, Head of the Medicine Department at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, informed that in response to the increasing prevalence of dengue in Rajshahi, a separate ward has been arranged for dengue patients at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. He described dengue as a viral fever transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes and advised using mosquito nets to protect against mosquito bites at any time, day or night.
Umme Habiba, District Entomologist of the Civil Surgeon's Office, and Md. Abdul Bari, Entomological Technician of the Divisional Director of Health Office, presented comprehensive information on the dengue situation at the meeting. They provided detailed information about the current status of dengue, mosquito breeding rates, and risk areas. Selim Reza Ronju, Deputy Chief Conservancy Officer of RCC, presented an infographic on the steps taken by the City Corporation to prevent dengue, highlighting the progress of various activities and future plans.
This important meeting, chaired by RCC Chief Executive Officer Md. Rezaul Karim, was attended by expert doctors, entomologists, health workers, and officials and employees from various relevant departments. The main objective of the meeting was to formulate an integrated strategy for dengue prevention and establish effective coordination among all stakeholders. A strong commitment was expressed at the meeting that the City Corporation and all relevant departments would work tirelessly to keep Rajshahi Metropolitan City dengue-free and protect the health of its citizens.
