A Dhaka South City Corporation employee was sacked and Rapa Plaza fined 50,000 taka on Saturday as authorities moved against negligence and mosquito breeding sites on the first day of a three-month nationwide dengue prevention drive.
The fine was imposed after Aedes mosquito larvae were found in stagnant water in the ground-floor parking area of Rapa Plaza in Dhanmondi.
Sushil Chandra Rabidas, a DSCC health department employee responsible for Ward 15 under Zone 1, was dismissed after authorities found negligence in his mosquito-control duties, according to DSCC Public Relations Officer Md Russell Rahman.
The actions came during an inspection of dengue prevention and cleanliness operations around Dhanmondi Road 27 by State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam, who chairs the National Task Force Committee on Dengue.
DSCC Administrator Md Abdus Salam was also present.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman formally launched the three-month campaign at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Saturday morning, with operations beginning simultaneously across the country.
“Dengue must be prevented at any cost,” Shahe Alam said after the Dhanmondi inspection.
He said authorities would identify and destroy Aedes breeding grounds throughout the year rather than confining mosquito-control measures to seasonal campaigns.
The state minister warned that those responsible for allowing water to accumulate at construction sites and other premises could face legal action, including fines and imprisonment through mobile courts.
He said the government was also working to increase the number of sanitation workers and strengthen the capacity of urban cleanliness operations.
Abdus Salam urged residents to keep their premises clean and participate in the campaign, saying household action was necessary to protect families from dengue.
The nationwide drive will run from September 12 to December 12, focusing on eliminating Aedes breeding sites, strengthening cleanliness operations and increasing public awareness.
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