Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today called upon the country’s youth to join hands in rebuilding the state and combating dengue, saying their collective strength and determination can bring about meaningful change in the country. Speaking at the inauguration of a three-month nationwide dengue prevention and cleanliness campaign at the South Plaza of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, the Prime Minister highlighted the role of young people in driving transformation. "If such a large youth population of a country wants to change the country, it is possible. Our young generation showed the world on August 5, 2024 that they can bring change. The youth started the change from there," he said.
The campaign, which aims to raise public awareness about dengue prevention, destroy Aedes mosquito breeding grounds, strengthen cleanliness activities and enhance coordination among government, private and social initiatives, will run until December 12. It involves members of the Bangladesh Scouts, BNCC, Girl Guides, volunteers, and students working together towards a common goal. "I urge them to come forward and rebuild the state and the country. Let us try to solve the dengue problem over the next three months. We may not be able to achieve 100 percent, but we can achieve at least 80 percent," Tarique Rahman urged.
Bangladesh has around 23 lakh Scouts and 22,000 BNCC members, while the number of students from high schools, madrassas, colleges, and universities is around 1.5 crore. Including primary schools and madrassas, the total number of students is around 2.5 crore. The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of public participation in dengue prevention, explaining that Aedes mosquitoes breed in stagnant water accumulated in discarded papers, plastic items, and other objects. "If we all make a collective effort, we can change this situation," he said.
Tarique Rahman urged people to become more conscious about cleanliness, saying that even a small piece of waste discarded casually can gradually accumulate into garbage and create an environment conducive to the spread of diseases. "So, let us keep ourselves healthy, keep our families healthy, keep our society healthy and try to keep our country healthy. This work is not very difficult," he added. The Prime Minister called upon people to spend just one hour every week cleaning their homes, schools, colleges, or institutions, which could bring about rapid change.
The three-month campaign aims to discourage indiscriminate waste disposal and raise public awareness about the importance of cleanliness. Alongside Dhaka-focused activities, awareness and cleanliness drives are being conducted simultaneously at district and upazila levels nationwide. The campaign's implementation committee, led by Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Bir Muktijoddha Abdus Salam, will oversee the initiative. Various ministers, state ministers, advisers, senior officials, NGOs, and representatives from different ministries and departments attended the inauguration, both in person and online.
