Staff Reporter:
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday called on the country’s youth to join the fight against dengue and help rebuild the state, saying young people’s numbers and organisation could deliver real change over the coming months.
Inaugurating a three-month nationwide dengue prevention and cleanliness campaign at the South Plaza of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, he pointed to the events of 5 August 2024 as proof of what young people could achieve when they acted together.
“If such a large youth population of a country wants to change the country, it is possible. Our young generation showed the world on 5 August 2024 that they can bring change. The youth started the change from there,” he said.
“I urge them to come forward and rebuild the state and the country. Let us try to solve the dengue problem over the next three months. We may not be able to achieve 100%, but we can achieve at least 80%,” he added.
He called on members of the Bangladesh Scouts, the Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC), Girl Guides, volunteers and students to work towards the shared goal of building the country. Bangladesh has around 23 lakh Scouts and 22,000 BNCC members, he said, while roughly 1.5 crore students are enrolled across high schools, madrasas, colleges and universities – a figure that rises to about 2.5 crore when primary schools and madrasas are included.
“Today, almost all the districts are connected here online. I want your help – Girl Guides, BNCC, Scouts, volunteers and all of you. We have to build this country. We have gathered here today with one goal – the goal of building the country,” he said.
On the dengue campaign itself, the prime minister said Aedes mosquitoes breed in stagnant water that collects in discarded papers, plastic items and other waste, and urged people to be more conscious about cleanliness.
He said even small pieces of casually discarded waste could accumulate over time and create conditions for disease to spread.
“So, let us keep ourselves healthy, keep our families healthy, keep our society healthy and try to keep our country healthy. This work is not very difficult,” he said, adding that spending just one hour a week cleaning homes, schools, colleges or institutions could bring about rapid change.
He also called on people to discourage those who litter in public places and to raise awareness among them.
“So, the message is one: work, work and work. And cleanliness, cleanliness and cleanliness must be our main goal for the days ahead,” he said.
The campaign, which began on Saturday, will run until 12 December across the country, aiming to raise public awareness of dengue prevention, destroy Aedes mosquito breeding grounds, strengthen cleanliness activities and improve coordination between government, private and social initiatives.
Alongside activities in Dhaka, awareness and cleanliness drives are being carried out simultaneously at district and upazila level nationwide.
Convener of the Nationwide Dengue Prevention and Cleanliness Campaign Implementation Committee and Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator, Bir Muktijoddha Abdus Salam, delivered the welcome address at the inaugural programme.
LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain, Information and Broadcasting Minister Barrister Andaleeve Rahman Partho, State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr MA Muhit, and State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam also addressed the programme.
Ministers, advisers, senior officials from the Prime Minister’s Office and various ministries and departments, NGOs, DSCC, DNCC officials, cleaners, students, members of voluntary organisations and journalists attended the event, while officials from district and upazila administrations across the country joined online.
