BNP leaders Tabith Awal and Ishraque Hossain, who contested Dhaka North and South city corporation elections against the Awami League's Atiqul Islam and Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and lost, have demanded the resignation of the two incumbent mayors for failure to control this year's dengue outbreak, with most of the deaths and hospitalizations recorded in the capital.
Tabith and Ishraque also announced a four-point program to help dengue victims and prevent mosquito breeding in Dhaka, at a press conference at the BNP's central office in Dhaka's Naya Paltan on Friday.
Their programs are blood donation to support dengue patients, a campaign to raise public awareness about the disease, identifying and eradicating dengue larvae in government buildings and taking immediate actions with local communities to address waterlogging.
Tabith said: “Prevention is more important than killing mosquitoes. Once mosquitoes have spread, nothing else can be done. To prevent this, drainage and cleanliness are important.”
“The initiatives taken by the government and the city corporations are just for show,” he added.
Commenting that the burden of fines is being imposed on people in the name of mosquito killing, the former mayoral candidate for the Dhaka North City Corporation said that in 2019 a dengue epidemic took shape. It was then necessary to be aware. But they did not take action. Now they are putting the blame on people.
“The two city corporations are treating the people as their subjects. Government institutions are putting the blame on each other without taking any action to kill mosquitoes. The High Court plays a role in this matter. But they are also not directly responsible to anyone. Therefore, as the mayors of the people, we would stand by the people. We will carry out programs to kill mosquitoes,” he added.
Tabith also said government offices are one of the biggest breeding grounds for mosquito larvae in Dhaka city. For this, government offices will be identified and people will be pressured to clean them. Apart from this, people in different wards will be taken to clean the waterlogged areas.
He also said that a blood collection team would be made for dengue patients.
Meanwhile, Ishraque said: “Those currently holding the posts of mayor are actually there illegally. They have no accountability. They are mayors appointed by the government. It is because of their failure that dengue has become such an epidemic; dengue cases and deaths have set such records.”
“Experts are suggesting declaring this situation as an epidemic. However, the mayors are neglecting the matter due to a lack of accountability. Taking initiatives to kill mosquitoes with drones makes the situation worse. They have not even implemented the recommendations of the World Health Organization to spread insecticide mixed with kerosene and water to kill mosquitoes. Corruption has worsened the dengue situation,” he added.
He said: “In dengue extermination and waste management, they have carried out activities only in the areas occupied by the upper classes. Commissioners are not doing any work. Their commissioners are engaged in extortion and criminal activities. That is why we will spread awareness among the people and highlight the misdeeds of these illegal mayors.”
BNP Dhaka South Convener Abdus Salam said: “People are dying in Dhaka South every day. In such a situation, the mayor went abroad on a family trip. They were able to do this because there was no commitment to the people. But we will stand by them with full cooperation.”
BNP Dhaka North Convener Aman Ullah Aman said: “Tabith and Ishraque are the mayors chosen by Dhaka citizens. They thought about the people. Nineteen people died from dengue in one day in the country on July 19. Neither the prime minister nor the mayors said anything about it. But Tabith and Ishraque announced programs to prevent dengue. We will stand by them to make their program successful.”
