July 15, 2025
DHAKA – Experts have sounded the alarm over a potential nationwide dengue crisis, warning that without urgent, targeted intervention, the outbreak could worsen across all 64 districts.
They stressed that current efforts to control Aedes mosquitoes remain insufficient, especially outside the capital, where cases are rising rapidly.
Entomologist Prof Kabirul Bashar urged the government to prioritise larviciding and the elimination of breeding sources over widespread fogging. “Fogging should be limited to hotspots with confirmed cases. General fogging is largely ineffective, yet it remains the main method being used,” he said.
He emphasised the importance of public awareness and community participation. “Without community-level efforts to eliminate breeding grounds at the household level, dengue will remain difficult to control,” he added.
Prof Bashar also warned that all districts are now at risk of more severe outbreaks than in previous years. “Aedes mosquitoes are now present in every district,” he said. “In coastal areas, people often store rainwater during this season, creating ideal breeding grounds.”
Echoing his concerns, entomologist GM Saifur Rahman pointed to the rapid rise in the mosquito population. “The rising Aedes population is leading to a geometric increase in dengue cases. Once infected, a mosquito can lay infected eggs, worsening the outbreak,” he said.
He called for the creation of a dedicated vector control department to manage mosquito-borne diseases in a scientific and structured way. “This department should oversee cluster identification, surveillance, and targeted interventions. Without a structured and science-based approach, existing efforts will continue to fall short,” Rahman warned.
According to the Directorate General of Health Services, at least one dengue patient died and 420 others were hospitalised in the 24 hours leading up to yesterday morning. Of them, 116 were from the Barishal division.
The total number of deaths has now reached 56, while the number of reported cases has climbed to 14,880. At present, 1,240 dengue patients are receiving treatment in hospitals across the country, 853 of them outside Dhaka.