Yesterday’s DSCC drive to promote cleanliness and a mosquito-free environment is precisely the kind of initiative the city needs at this critical moment.
The campaign was conducted in the Dhanmondi area from the early hours of Friday, mobilizing over 900 cleaners and mosquito-control workers alongside local residents -- a rare and welcome example of coordinated action.
Beyond the immediate cleaning of lakes, streets, and sewers, what stands out most is the effort to engage the community and raise awareness about individual responsibility.
This is especially vital now, as dengue cases continue to rise at an alarming rate. Without genuine collaboration between the authorities and the public, no long-term solution to this crisis can be reached, and it is good to see the authorities take this fact into account too.
It is no secret that street hygiene in Dhaka remains deeply inadequate. Poor waste management, clogged drains, and careless disposal practices create ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes and expose residents to a range of preventable diseases.
Unless a lasting sense of civic responsibility is instilled, any progress made through short-term drives will, eventually, be rendered useless.
The greater responsibility, however, still lies with the relevant authorities. Cleanliness and mosquito control cannot rely on occasional campaigns alone.
What we need is consistency: Regular, city-wide drives must be arranged supported by strict monitoring, sustainable waste management systems, and continuous public education.
Residents must also remember to uphold their part of this shared duty. Keeping surroundings clean cannot remain an occasional effort prompted only by official action; it must become routine practice.
The hope now is that this initiative will not be treated as a one-off gesture. Similar drives must be expanded across the capital, and even replicated nationwide. At this stage of the dengue crisis, such efforts are not merely commendable -- they are indispensable.
Only through sustained, collective action can Dhaka hope to reclaim the level of safety and livability its people rightfully demand.
