2,000 Ctg mosques to join dengue clean-up drive

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Zahidul Islam Mian on Monday announced that around 2,000 mosques across Chattogram District will join a simultaneous clean-up drive on Saturday as part of efforts to prevent dengue.
The drive, covering mosques and their premises, will begin at 9:30am, he said at a workshop on dengue prevention and the role of religious leaders at the Chattogram Circuit House.

The Chattogram divisional office of the Islamic Foundation and UNICEF organised the workshop with support from the district administration.

Islamic Foundation Director General Mufti Muhammad Muhibbullahil Baki Nadvi attended it as the chief guest, while Sarker Sarwar Alam, Director of the Imam Training Academy in Dhaka, was present as special guest. The DC chaired the event.

Describing dengue as a potentially fatal disease, Zahidul said keeping homes and public spaces clean was crucial to preventing its spread.

He said the district administration has been carrying out clean-up drives across Chattogram every Saturday since July 25, targeting government offices and rooftops, ponds, water bodies and other potential mosquito-breeding sites.

"Saturday's initiative is not only about preventing dengue; it is also part of a social movement to build a cleaner and more beautiful Chattogram," he said.

"Cleanliness is not the responsibility of the administration alone. It is the responsibility of every citizen."

Urging people to keep mosques and their surroundings clean, Zahidul said religious leaders could play an important role in raising public awareness because of their influence in local communities.

He called on imams and khatibs to use sermons to raise awareness not only about cleanliness and dengue prevention but also about social problems, including drug abuse, usury, bribery and corruption.

The DC also stressed the role of families and communities in instilling moral and social values in children.