BNP Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has called for a united effort across political lines to combat dengue, saying prevention requires the participation of all sections of society, not just the government.
He said the government, local administration, political parties, medical professionals, students and the public must work together to raise awareness and destroy Aedes mosquito breeding grounds to curb the spread of the disease.
Rizvi made the remarks as chief guest at Chattogram Medical College Hospital during a nationwide dengue awareness campaign organised by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). He distributed leaflets on dengue prevention among patients, their relatives and members of the public.
He urged people not to take dengue lightly and to seek medical advice promptly if they develop symptoms.
Anyone with a fever should avoid self-medication and undergo the necessary tests before receiving proper treatment, he said.
Preventing dengue requires both individual awareness and collective social action, Rizvi added, calling for stronger public awareness campaigns to save lives.
Chattogram City Corporation Administrator Dr Shahadat Hossain said the first step in preventing dengue was to identify places where Aedes mosquitoes breed.
He said the mosquitoes could breed in stagnant water in flower pots, buckets, bottles, discarded tyres, coconut shells, plastic cups, rooftops and construction sites, as well as beneath refrigerators and air conditioners.
“Water should never be left standing for more than three days, and containers should be cleared regularly,” he said.
MPs Ershadullah and Sayeed Al Noman, BNP leaders and activists from affiliated organisations, physicians, medical students, political figures and other stakeholders attended the event.
