DWELLERS of the two Dhaka City Corporations hardly get respite from the mosquito nuisance though combating this menace has been a key promise in the manifesto of the elected mayors of the two Dhaka City Corporations since its operation. Dhaka city has seen a rapid unplanned urbanisation with changes to its infrastructural and environmental landscape. Of course it’s easy to see why the mosquitoes arise time and time again to take their vengeance on poor Dhakaites. They are quite happy to breed in a city which has seemingly been so hospitable to them as far as we can see. The cities canals and water bodies remain stagnant for many months of the year — thus providing a perfect breeding ground for them.
In addition to that both the City Corporations use outdated, diluted, and ineffective mosquito killing agents, thus making it easier for them to increase their numbers. Thus we can see that mosquitoes get what is known in Bengali as ‘jamai ador’– a colloquial term referring to the first class treatment received by husbands of the newly married. It will be personally difficult for any new Mayor to see the procurement of mosquito repellents personally — thus making it difficult for them to stop corruption in the process. The main tasks of spraying fall to the lowest ranked personnel of the two DCCs — who are unfortunately the lowest in terms of morale as well. They have no additional incentive to spray regularly in all areas, thus making it difficult to stop the menace at the ground level.
The challenging task for the newly elected mayors of the two city corporations is to give the dwellers relief from the pain of mosquito bites. It can be effective to employ sophisticated methods like vector controls as Singapore. The new Mayors can try as their good initiative.
