Entomologists at a discussion on Thursday said that faulty efforts of the authorities concerned to control mosquito had resulted in an acute mosquito menace this year.
They suggested adopting an integrated mosquito control plan and proper surveillance of the insect in time.
The Centre for Governance Studies organised the virtual discussion on ‘mosquito menace in the city and the way forward’.
CGS chairman Manjur A Chowdhury, also an entomologist, in his keynote presentation said that the concept of controlling mosquito by farming duck and tilapia fish and releasing frog in water bodies was wrong.
He found some legal and policy barriers in the mosquito control process for the failure of the Dhaka city corporations
The corporations also lack trained workers for controlling mosquito and experts for proper planning, said Manjur, a former president of the Zoological Society Bangladesh.
For integrated management for mosquito control, he suggested biological and chemical control, regulatory measure, environmental management, research and development and public education.
He said that the authorities had failed to control mosquito even after changing their insecticides with the pricy ones.
For killing larvae in a hector of area with the new insecticides, it costs Tk 9.3 lakh, he said.
He said that Dhaka was geographically a mosquito prone area but the authorities had a lack of manpower and insecticide and logistical problems.
Entomologist Touhid Uddin Ahmed said that the mosquito control activities of the corporations were hampered as they did not have regular entomologists.
He said that crash programmes were not sufficient to control mosquito.
He suggested resumption of regular anti-mosquito drives with a proper plan to control the insect.
Institute of Architects Bangladesh president Mubasshar Hussain said that government organisations were one of the main sources of mosquito breeding but the issue remained unaddressed.
He demanded punishment of top officials of the government agencies concerned.
CGS executive director Zillur Rahman, who moderated the event, said that the public engagement in all activities was a must to get success in mosquito control.
Journalist Masood Kamal, among others, spoke.
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