Bangladesh has launched a nationwide three-month dengue prevention campaign with enforcement powers, deploying mobile courts to penalize property owners and officials who tolerate mosquito breeding sites.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare formally inaugurated the program on Saturday, June 6, at Rabindra Sarobar in the Dhaka South City Corporation area. Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain led the launch, with DSCC Administrator Md. Abdus Salam presiding. The campaign reflects government concern about seasonal dengue outbreaks that affect thousands of Bangladeshis annually.
How the campaign will work
City corporations, local administrations, and health authorities will coordinate efforts across the country. Mobile courts will operate throughout the three-month period to enforce action against negligence in mosquito control, according to the ministry.
Citizens are urged to clean yards, flower pots, rooftops, balconies, drains, and surrounding areas to prevent stagnant water accumulation, which is the primary breeding source of Aedes mosquitoes. The government has begun nationwide public awareness campaigns including loudspeaker announcements and mass communication efforts.
Health Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain said that cleanliness and preventing water stagnation remain the most effective ways to control dengue. He warned of strict enforcement: "Wherever Aedes mosquito larvae are found, maximum penalties will be imposed according to the law."
Dhaka's high-risk zones targeted first
A survey by the Dhaka South City Corporation identified 28 out of 75 wards as high-risk zones. A week-long "crash program" began on Sunday, June 7, in these vulnerable areas to intensify preventive measures.
DSCC Administrator Md. Abdus Salam noted that the Prime Minister had earlier warned about potential dengue risk and instructed authorities to take advance preparations. Those preparations are now being implemented jointly by city corporations and health departments.
Enforcement and penalties
The campaign represents a shift toward enforcement-backed dengue control. Mobile courts will have authority to impose penalties against property owners and officials who fail to eliminate breeding sites. The specific penalty amounts under the law were not detailed by officials at the launch.
Following the inauguration, the Health Minister and DSCC Administrator joined an awareness rally with participation from the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, Dhanmondi Society, and local residents.
What remains unclear
Officials have not specified how long the campaign will continue if dengue cases rise significantly, or how enforcement will be coordinated in rural areas outside city corporation jurisdictions. The government has not released data on dengue cases in the months before the campaign launch.