Dhaka North City Corporation has launched a special month-long campaign to control mosquitoes to curb the spread of mosquito-borne diseases in the city.

On the first day of the drive, DNCC successfully collected a total of Tk 14.85 lakh in fines from 17 cases where mosquito larvae were found in various areas under its jurisdiction.

DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam visited several areas today to assess the progress of the programme. He emphasised the importance of surprise visits to evaluate the progress regarding mosquito control efforts.

"No one knows where I will go in the mosquito eradication drive. Everything is cleaned up when notified in advance. So, I will go for a surprise visit to different wards without informing anyone to see the actual situation. I don't trust anyone in this case. I will go wherever I want and take action," he said.

During his inspections, Mayor Atiq visited the basements of some high-rise buildings in Japan Garden City, Mohammadpur. Numerous larvae of Aedes mosquitoes were found in stagnant water within the basements, with mosquitoes also flying in the area.

Addressing the issue, he declared that DNCC staff would not be responsible for cleaning stagnant water inside buildings, as they are unable to enter these premises. He further highlighted that many buildings and houses in Dhaka prevent DNCC staff from entering.

The responsibility falls on the residents, he added.

Responding to questions from reporters, Atiq said, "DNCC has been actively engaged in mosquito control efforts even before the monsoon season. It is not possible for the city corporation to tackle the dengue issue alone. DNCC staff would not be responsible for dealing with larvae found indoors"

On the first day of the drive, a total of Tk 14.85 lakh in fines have been collected from 17 places where mosquito larvae were found.