PM urges youth to lead dengue prevention

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has urged citizens, especially students and young people, to shoulder collective responsibility for dengue prevention by keeping their homes, schools and surroundings clean rather than relying solely on government initiatives.

Speaking on Saturday while inspecting a cleanliness campaign at Rajuk Uttara Model College in Dhaka, where he interacted with members of the Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC) and Scouts, the prime minister noted that dengue infections typically surge at this time of year, particularly through November, and claim many lives annually. Prevention, he stressed, remains the most effective remedy, which makes environmental cleanliness indispensable. Referring to Dhaka’s sanitation woes, he said the capital is home to an estimated 20 to 25 million people, placing considerable strain on municipal services. Although city corporation workers conduct regular cleaning, their capacity is limited, he added, so citizens must share the burden instead of depending entirely on the authorities.

Earlier in the day, he made surprise visits to several hospitals, educational institutions and government buildings to assess the dengue situation, healthcare services and cleanliness standards. At Kuwait-Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital, he spoke with patients and inspected departments including the intensive care unit and operating theatres, then expressed dissatisfaction with the hospital’s management and hygiene, giving the authorities seven days to improve cleanliness and the hospital environment. Addressing students, he said that, whether or not they belonged to the Scouts, Girl Guides or Red Crescent, they were citizens and the nation’s future, and he urged them to keep their homes, schools and neighbourhoods tidy and to discourage others from dumping rubbish in unauthorised places. Moreover, he lamented that many of the rubbish bins installed across the city had been stolen and that saplings planted by the Dhaka North and South city corporations were disappearing, calling for greater civic responsibility.

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To foster a greener environment, he encouraged students to plant at least one tree every year on their own birthdays and those of family members, at home, at school or in their ancestral villages. Recalling his childhood, he said Dhaka once had more trees and open spaces, many of which have since given way to high-rise buildings, making the city feel hotter. Planting more trees, he suggested, could lower urban temperatures and improve air quality. The students responded positively when he sought their commitment, and he concluded that a clean, green and liveable city demands public awareness and collective effort, not government action alone.