Dhaka mayors to focus on mosquito control from first day

The newly elected mayors of Dhaka North and Dhaka South city corporations have expressed their intention to invigorate the campaign against mosquitoes in the capital from the very first day of assuming office.

After taking oath as the mayor of the Dhaka North City Corporation on Thursday, Atiqul Islam told The Business Standard that he would start working with the councillors to intensify the anti-mosquito campaign from the very first day.

"We will monitor every sprayman's mosquito control activities," he said.

Besides mosquito control, Atiqul will focus on addressing waterlogging in the upcoming monsoon, the city's cleanliness, traffic jam and air pollution.

"To ease traffic congestion, I will work on implementing the bus route franchise system," he added.

The newly elected Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh did not make any comment in this regard.

However, his media coordinator Mahmudul Alam told The Business Standard that Taposh would focus on ensuring basic citizen's rights in the next 90 days of him taking charge.

"Alongside launching the anti-mosquito campaign, Taposh will start drafting a 30-year mega plan to address the lack of coordination among the city-based utility services," Mahmudul said.

After 25 days of the February 1 city corporation elections, the mayors-elect and councillors of both city corporations took oaths for office on Thursday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina administered the oath to the newly elected mayors Atiqul and Taposh respectively at the Shapla Hall, Prime Minister's Office.

Later, Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister Md Tajul Islam administered the oath to the councillors elected from both general wards and reserved seats.

The newly-elected mayors and councillors have taken charge for the next five years.

Alongside the two elected mayors, there are 100 Dhaka South councillors – 75 general councillors from 75 wards and 25 women councillors from 25 reserved seats, and 72 Dhaka North councillors – 54 general councillors from 54 wards and 18 women councillors from 18 reserved seats.