HC dissatisfied with city corporations’ measures for fighting dengue

The High Court on Sunday expressed dissatisfaction over measures taken by the two city corporations of capital Dhaka to prevent Dengue menace.

A bench of justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and KM Quamrul Kader expressed the view during the hearing of a suo moto case after the government prosecutors presented a progress report on the measures taken by the authority to prevent dengue.

The court said responsible people of two city corporations did not take preventive measures in time. If steps had been taken, the current situation would have been prevented.

People who were on duty to monitor the situation did not perform their duties properly. They lack proper temperament and skills, added the court.

Deputy attorney general ABM Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar and assistant attorney general Saiful Alam represented the state.

During the hearing, the court asked the state counsels about differing kinds of statements regarding the number of people who died of dengue.

ABM Abdullah replied saying according to the government 48 people died of dengue. People who died of dengue so far might have some other diseases. Some may suffer heart attack, he offered as an example. So it is a matter of scrutiny, he contended on behalf of the state.

In response, the court said dengue is now spreading across the country. If the preventive measures were taken in due time, so many people would not have died.

About medicine (insecticide), the court said the same medicine is being sprayed year after year without any test. Now the medicine is not working. Repeated use of a medicine made the mosquitoes develop tolerance, which has to be understood, the court said.

However, while presenting the progress report, the DAG said the government has been very sincere to prevent dengue outbreak. Vacations were cancelled in all government hospitals. Customs duty has been exempted for importing medicine from abroad. Three surveillance teams have been formed. Hospitals that disobey government directives have been fined through mobile courts. Mobile courts were conducted in a total of 40 hospitals. The drive will continue.

The court concluded without giving any ruling on the matter.