Mosquito control dept: Empty drums and an abandoned building
Nestled in Old Dhaka's Dhakeshwari area, a two-storey building stands, evoking an eerie atmosphere
Many empty drums fill its premises, while doors of most of the 17 rooms inside the building remain tightly shut. Two abandoned cars lie in the parking, with stagnant water on different parts of the vehicles. In front of the building, two dilapidated tin sheds, surrounded by debris, remain as a testament to a haunting stillness.
A signboard at the gate reads "Moshok Nibaroni Daptor," which is a government department dedicated to controlling mosquitoes. Ironically, the very drums, the locked rooms, the abandoned cars and tinsheds that fill the compound create a breeding ground for these disease-carrying insects.
In a country plagued by annual dengue outbreaks, this irony is cause for concern, according to experts.
As per its website, the Dhaka Mosquito Control Department was established under the health ministry in 1948, shifted to the Local Government Department in 1980, and is currently under the authority of the Dhaka city corporations.
At its inception, the department employed a total of 396 personnel. However, at present, there are 241 personnel working, with 155 positions remaining vacant.
The majority of the current workers are engaged in the field, applying mosquito repellent sprays across various parts of Dhaka.
This indicates that there are no staff members present at the department's office, rendering it abandoned, which this correspondent found proof of in a recent visit.
This begs the question: what purpose does the two-storey building serve, other than creating an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes?
Contacted, Shamsul Alam, the deputy secretary of the LGRD ministry, said the current office of the department does not have significant tasks as the workers are employed in the city corporations.
"The government will devise practical plans based on the situation, and we are considering establishing a research centre under this department."
When questioned about the vacant posts, he said, "As mentioned earlier, our plan is to transform the department into a research centre. Once this plan is implemented, we will revise the organogram and recruit new employees accordingly."
Entomologist Professor Kabirul Bashar of Jahangirnagar University told The Daily Star, "There is much discussion regarding this office. The government should utilise it for mosquito control. Research on mosquito control is highly essential as the types of mosquitoes and their resistance to insecticides change over time."
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