The Ministry of Education has directed all schools, colleges and universities across the country to conduct special cleanliness drives to prevent dengue before reopening after the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays.
The directive was issued in an office order signed by Senior Assistant Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division Md Rajibul Alam on Wednesday.
According to the order, dengue incidence has recently increased alarmingly across the country, including the capital Dhaka, due to the expansion of Aedes mosquito breeding grounds.
Stagnant water in containers, flower pots and discarded waste is contributing to mosquito breeding, it said.
The ministry noted that regular cleaning activities were disrupted during the long Ramadan and Eid holidays as academic activities remained closed.
It also warned that seasonal rainfall and rising humidity could further increase the risk of dengue transmission.
The directive, issued following a demi-official (DO) letter from the Health Services Division, instructed all government and private educational institutions to ensure thorough cleaning of their premises before resuming academic activities after the holidays.
