Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Photo: Collected
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has made a surprise visit to hospitals and educational institutions to check the dengue and cleanliness situation.
On Saturday (October 17) at 9:20 am, the Prime Minister left her Gulshan residence for a surprise visit to various hospitals, educational institutions and government buildings in the capital.
Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister visited the Kuwait-Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital in the capital. She spoke to the patients undergoing treatment there and inquired about their medical services. She toured various departments of the hospital, including the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), surgery room (operation theater).
During the inspection, the Prime Minister expressed dissatisfaction with the overall management and cleanliness of the hospital. She gave the authorities seven days to improve the hospital’s environment and cleanliness.
The Prime Minister then visited Rajuk Uttara Model College. There, she spoke to teachers, students, BNCC and scout members. Besides inquiring about the cleanliness activities of the educational institution, she spoke about the role of students in preventing dengue.
At this time, the Prime Minister said that the incidence of dengue increases at this time of the year, especially until November. Every year, many people are infected with dengue, many also die. The most effective way to combat dengue is prevention. And for this, a clean and hygienic environment must be ensured.
Addressing the students, the Prime Minister said, “The best way to fight dengue is prevention. And for this, we need to keep our surroundings clean. I seek your help in this work.”
He also said that if a large number of young people in the country take responsibility for keeping their surroundings clean, it is possible to bring about major changes in protecting the environment, including dengue prevention.
Regarding the cleanliness situation in the capital, the Prime Minister said, Dhaka is a huge city. More than 20 to 25 million people live here. Although the city corporation’s cleaners work regularly, their capacity is limited. Therefore, relying only on the city corporation or the administration will not work. Citizens must also take responsibility.
The Prime Minister told the students, “Whether you are a Scout, Girl Guide or Red Crescent member or not, you are all citizens of this country. You are the future of the country. Therefore, you must also take responsibility for keeping your homes, schools, neighborhoods and surroundings clean.”
The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of creating social awareness to stop the trend of littering everywhere. She said that if someone throws garbage outside the designated place, he should be made aware. If everyone tries together, it is possible to keep Dhaka city clean.
The Prime Minister said that initiatives have been taken to install dustbins in different parts of the city to dispose of garbage. But unfortunately, these dustbins are being stolen from many places. Similarly, tree saplings planted in different places by the Dhaka North and South City Corporations are also being stolen.
He called on citizens to be more aware and responsible to prevent these activities.
Advice to plant a tree on your birthday
The Prime Minister advised students to plant at least one tree each year on their own and their family members’ birthdays to protect the environment.
He said, “Try to plant a tree on your birthday, your sibling’s birthday, or your grandparents’ birthday. It could be at your home, at school, or in your village. When the trees grow, you too will grow.”
The Prime Minister also spoke about the rising temperatures and lack of greenery in the capital. Reminiscing about her childhood, she said that once there were many trees and open spaces in Dhaka. Now, multi-storey buildings have been built there. The feeling of heat in the city has also increased due to the decrease in trees.
The Prime Minister said, “The more trees grow, the more we will be able to breathe. I really like the sound of the rustling of the leaves. If we all plant trees together, it is possible to reduce the temperature in the city a little.”
In her interaction with the students, the Prime Minister said that the active participation of youth is needed in these three areas – dengue prevention, cleanliness and greening. Not only the government’s initiatives, but also the awareness and collective efforts of citizens can build a clean and livable city.
The Prime Minister asked the students if they could help keep their schools, homes, neighborhoods, and surroundings clean. At that time, she received a positive response from the students.