PM Calls for Nationwide Dengue Prevention Drive, Tougher Food Safety Crackdown and Intensified Inspections

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has urged citizens to collaborate with the government to combat the dengue crisis and ensure food safety standards. On Wednesday morning, before entering his office at the Secretariat, the PM inspected a mobile laboratory van deployed for food safety testing. Following the inspection, he issued a special video message calling upon people from all walks of life to spend at least half an hour twice a week cleaning their homes and surrounding environments to eradicate mosquito breeding grounds.

During his visit to the mobile laboratory parked at the Cabinet Division in the Secretariat, the PM observed the entire process of food sample collection and testing, while receiving briefings from relevant officials. Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu stated that food quality testing and anti-adulteration monitoring are currently operating via mobile labs across eight metropolitan areas. He added that under a capacity enhancement project for the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority during the 2026–27 fiscal year, 72 additional mobile lab vans are being procured to expand this initiative to all 64 districts.

The inspection was attended by several high-ranking officials, including Food Minister Afroza Khanam, ruling party Chief Whip Nurul Islam, Minister of State for Food Abdul Bari, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister A B M Abdus Sattar, and Public Administration Secretary Kamruzzaman Chowdhury. Senior officials from the Ministry of Food were also present during the visit. The deployed mobile vans are designed not only to perform on-site quality testing but also to screen public awareness videos on food safety standards to educate citizens across the region.

Meanwhile, in a video message shared on the PM’s Office verified Facebook page, the PM called upon 25 million students, nearly 4 million volunteers, and the general public to foster national awareness against dengue. Citing historical milestones like the 1971 Liberation War, the 1990 anti-Ershad movement, and the 2024 mass uprising, he stated, ‘If we could achieve so many historic successes, we can also eradicate a social problem like dengue if everyone contributes even a little bit together.’

Emphasizing preventive measures over medical treatments, the PM noted that dengue vaccines are not very effective, making the destruction of Aedes mosquito breeding sites through stagnant water removal the most vital defense. Highlighting the necessity of collective effort, he remarked, ‘A government succeeds only when it works together with everyone. Let us dedicate half an hour to an hour at least two days a week to keep our surroundings clean and save people from the pain of losing loved ones.’