Keep houses clean to prevent dengue: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday called upon the country’s people to keep their houses and adjacent areas clean to prevent dengue.

She made the call at the regular cabinet meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said this while briefing newsmen after the meeting at the Secretariat.

Referring to the Premier, he said that in the wake of spreading dengue Sheikh Hasina urged all to keep everyone’s house clean, especially stop accumulation of the water in and outside of their houses.

He said Aedes mosquito lays its eggs on the walls of water-filled containers and others for its proliferation.

The Cabinet Secretary said the city corporations and others concerned, especially the civil aviation, have been directed to intensify their anti-mosquito spray through fogging machines every day.

In addition, the city corporations and health ministry have been asked to conduct awareness campaign about dengue and Aedes mosquito proliferation through a coordinated way, he added.

Mentioning that the country had recorded over one lakh dengue patients in 2019, Khandker Anwarul Islam said in this year so far the number of dengue patients reached nearly 30,000 across the country.

Of the total, Dhaka recorded 23,000 dengue patients, while Chattogram 4,000, Khulna 1,600 and Sylhet 53.

Till October 30, 136 people died of dengue, he added.

Cabinet okays holiday list for 2023

The cabinet in Monday’s meeting approved the proposed list of 22 holidays for the 2023 calendar year.

Eight out of 22 public holidays will fall on weekends next year.

While briefing the reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said in 2023, there will be 14 general holidays while the remaining eight holydays will come by the executive order of the government.