Staff Correspondent

State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives, and Chairman of the National Taskforce Committee on Dengue Mir Shahe Alam on Saturday personally inspected on-ground cleaning and vector-control operations around Dhanmondi Road 27 and Rapa Plaza in the capital.

Administrator of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Freedom Fighter Md. Abdus Salam accompanied the state minister during the inspection visit.

The field inspection followed the official inauguration of the three-month nationwide "Dengue Prevention and Cleanliness Campaign–2026" launched by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad earlier on Saturday morning. Following the ceremony, the state minister proceeded directly to evaluate field-level municipal execution.

During the drive, Mir Shahe Alam inspected sanitation protocols, evaluated potential Aedes mosquito breeding sites, and interacted with DSCC officials and frontline conservancy workers. Prior to the Dhanmondi visit, he also inspected voluntary cleaning initiatives conducted by the youth organization BD Clean at Sech Bhaban in the capital and issued operational directives.

Speaking to media representatives following the inspection, the state minister emphasized that combating dengue requires continuous year-round interventions rather than seasonal drives alone. He noted that preventive cleaning efforts must evolve into a sustained social movement involving educational institutions, commercial establishments, civic organizations, and private citizens.

Highlighting enforcement measures, Mir Shahe Alam stated that construction sites remain high-risk zones for Aedes larva breeding in stagnant water. He warned that while public awareness remains the primary goal, mobile courts will strictly enforce legal penalties, including heavy fines and imprisonment, against property owners and builders demonstrating negligence.