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Police stations dump corners breeding Aedes


Published : 19 Aug 2019 09:04 PM | Updated : 03 Sep 2020 05:11 PM

Dumping corners of city’s police stations have become an ideal breeding place for deadly Aedes mosquitoes responsible for menacing dengue fever. Police dump vehicles that they confiscate for various reasons at a corner of the Thana premises till the courts settle the fate of those vehicles. Sometimes these vehicles are kept there for years, while some are kept there almost for good.

It is seen that at a stage those cars got rusted and damaged, weeds grow in and around them and rain water creates pools there turning the dumping corner into an ideal breeding place of deadly mosquitoes. Besides, old tyres, worn-out boots and helmets of police personnel, green coconut shells and other junks are piled up with the rusting vehicles, which make those mosquito breeding places more vulnerable.

A survey of the he disease control department of the government conducted from 31 July to 4 August found Aedes mosquito larvae in 20 to 60 percent unused pots inside Rajarbagh Police Lines. A press conference of the World Health Organisation in Dhaka on 5 August said that the vehicles confiscated by police are also a breeding place of Aedes mosquitoes.

Police personnel of different Thanas of the Capital and their family members are also being infected by dengue fever. In last two months some 50 police of17 Thanas were infected by the mosquito-borne disease. Some 12 police personnel of Banani Thana were infected by dengue in last one and a half month. Among them, 5 are still under treatment. Some 5 police personnel of Dhanmondi Model Thana are on leave due to dengue infection. Till date, 1,800 patients form the families of police personnel received treatment from Rajarbagh Police Hospital.

Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG-Media) Sohel Rana said,“Inspector General of Police Javed Patwary has ordered the police department to keep clean the police stations and adjacent areas to stop breeding of Aedes mosquitoes. He also held a video conference in this regard with high officials of police.” Former Inspector General of Police Mohammad Nurul Huda said that there should have separate place to keep the confiscated vehicles. But it is not possible in Dhaka city as there is scarcity of space here. That is why those vehicles are kept inside the police stations. So, there is no other way but keeping the police stations neat and clean.