2024-03-08 04:11:24
Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives. Tajul Islam said, to reduce the prevalence of Aedes mosquitoes, approval has been given to buy drugs worth 5 crores for Dhaka South City Corporation and 40 crores for the whole country. At the same time, instructions have been given to the District Commissioners to increase public awareness and take effective steps in the campaign, he said.
He told reporters after the working session of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives on the second and last session of the fourth day of the Deputy Commissioner Conference at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium on Wednesday (March 6).
Tajul Islam said, the whole world is realizing that 90 percent awareness or tool is needed to fight Aedes mosquito. And the remaining 10 percent is technical or medicine. Dispose of accumulated water once in three days If this is possible then we can prevent the breeding of Aedes mosquito. Earlier, if we saw one percent outbreak of Aedes mosquitoes outside Dhaka, the remaining 99 percent was seen in Dhaka city. Last year, the prevalence of Aedes mosquitoes in Dhaka has dropped below 20 percent. But 80 percent is outside Dhaka.
He said that our children or people used to get infected every day in Dhaka. Now it is outside Dhaka, ie the people of Dhaka are now very aware. We launched TVCs to create awareness about the steps we have taken to combat the Aedes mosquito, people have seen it and accepted it responsibly.
Due to these reasons, the prevalence of Aedes mosquito has decreased in Dhaka and the minister claimed that success has come.
When asked what the DCs said in this regard, the minister said, we have informed this situation. They have been told to take initiative in this regard now. They are distributing leaflets for public awareness. Moreover, people in rural areas are also becoming aware of the awareness advertisements being aired on television by the ministry. DCs have been asked to report to the ministry whether cleanliness is being properly taken care of.
The minister said, the DCs will supervise. And report. And whose responsibility is to be distributed. But we had a meeting last January. We are focusing on the most affected areas. In a meeting last Wednesday, approval was given to buy medicines worth 5 crore rupees for South City Corporation. And approval has been given to buy medicines worth 40 crores for the entire country. These preparations are ongoing. All the necessary steps, public awareness campaigns are being done by the ministry and the government.
Upazila Parishad elections ahead. When asked if any instructions have been given to the DCs regarding this election, Tajul Islam said that the elections are held under the Election Commission. I will do whatever cooperation the Election Commission wants from the ministry. But we do not have any intervention or interference regarding the election. The matter of election is not part of the responsibility of the Ministry. It is the responsibility of the Election Commission. The Election Commission has to be given full power in this regard.
DCs raised 256 proposals in the DC conference. Most of them are 22 for road rehabilitation. When the DCs asked whether there had been any recommendation or discussion about the roads in the municipality and upazila, Tajul Islam said that these should not be absent from the discussion. A target is set nationally. We will make Bangladesh a better Bangladesh. If we want to make a better Bangladesh, we need to improve our roads or communication system.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given importance to cooperative agriculture. When asked about this, Tajul Islam said, there are opportunities to do many things including cooperative agriculture, cooperative trade. We talked about working on cooperatives. Said about making cooperative management more dynamic and stronger.
Whether any instructions have been given to DCs to conserve local reservoirs and water as water scarcity has arisen in this weather last year. Then the Prime Minister gave instructions to conserve the water bodies. When asked, the minister said, today also this matter was discussed.
The minister also said that he has instructed the DCs to take necessary measures.