United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday urged every family and every person to spend at least 30 minutes to an hour on two days a week cleaning their homes and surroundings to stop mosquitoes from breeding and help prevent dengue. “My appeal to you today is this: let every person and every family spend at least 30 minutes to an hour, at least twice a week, cleaning their homes, surroundings and nearby roads to prevent dengue mosquitoes from breeding,” he said. The Prime Minister made the call in a video message to the nation posted on his Facebook page.He also called upon people to join hands with the government to tackle dengue by removing stagnant water and cleaning up waste where Aedes mosquitoes breed. “Let us all try together. If we work together, we can certainly save many lives from the curse of dengue in the coming days,” Tarique Rahman said. He said people had united to achieve independence in 1971, to overthrow autocracy in 1990 and to make the mass uprising of 2024 successful. “If we could achieve all these things together, why cannot we contribute a little each and take part in solving the country’s other problems?” the Prime Minister asked. He said people of different ages are falling ill and dying from dengue, adding that those who have lost loved ones understood the pain of such a loss. Tarique Rahman said collective efforts could help prevent many families from suffering the same tragedy. He said around 2.5 crore students study at schools, colleges and universities across the country.In addition, the Prime Minister said nearly 40 lakh members of organisations such as the Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC), Scouts, Girl Guides and the Red Crescent and Red Cross could contribute to the effort. He said students and members of these organisations have been trying for about a month to clean up rubbish and waste across districts and upazilas every Saturday. Tarique Rahman said Aedes mosquitoes breed in stagnant water, including in corners of homes, along roads and in places where waste accumulates and allows water to collect. He noted that a dengue vaccine has been developed but said studies have shown that it is not very effective in treating the disease. The most effective way to prevent dengue, the Prime Minister said, is to remove stagnant water and clean up waste where mosquitoes could breed. He said a government can succeed when it works with people to address the country’s problems.“My government wants to work with all the people of the country to solve our problems. Solving the country’s problems means solving the problems of you, me and all of us,” Tarique Rahman said. He urged everyone to take part in the effort, expressing hope that collective action will help save many lives from dengue.

Nine more people died of dengue and 1,954 new patients were hospitalised across the country in the 24 hours until 8:00am on Tuesday. With the latest fatalities, the dengue death toll has risen to 316 in the country this year, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Among the deaths, three deaths were reported in Dhaka South City Corporation, two each in Dhaka North City Corporation and Khulna division, and one each in Chattogram and Mymensingh divisions, it said. Since January 1 this year, a total of 103,396 dengue patients were admitted to hospitals across the country. Of them, 97,296 have recovered. Amid the rising cases and deaths, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday directed the authorities concerned to step up public awareness campaigns and strengthen coordination among government agencies to prevent and control dengue. He gave the directives at a meeting on dengue prevention and control at the Cabinet Division of Secretariat, said PM’s Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu. He stressed the need to strengthen preventive measures, particularly in areas reporting higher numbers of dengue infections.  

Eight more people died of dengue and 1,860 new patients were hospitalised across the country in 24 hours until 8:00am on Wednesday. With the latest fatalities, the dengue death toll has risen to 289 in the country this year, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Among the deaths, two each  were reported in Dhaka South City Corporation, Khulna and Rajshahi division while one each in Sylhet and  Barishal divisions, it said. Currently, 5,775 dengue patients are undergoing treatment at different hospitals across the country. Since January 1 this year, a total of 92,216 dengue patients were admitted to hospitals across the country. Of them, 86,152 have recovered.  

A surge in dengue cases has put Narayanganj hospitals under mounting pressure, with patients being treated on floors and verandas amid a shortage of beds. Azharul Islam, 31, of Kuripara in Bandar, came to Narayanganj General (Victoria) Hospital when his wife was admitted for delivery. He later contracted dengue and has been receiving treatment on the veranda of the hospital's dengue ward for the past three days. Mashiur Rahman of the Deobhog Madrasah area has also been receiving treatment on the floor of the veranda for three days. "There are no beds available in the ward, so I am staying on the floor of the veranda. It is inconvenient and very hot, but there is no other option — I have to get treated," he said. During a visit to the hospital on Thursday, at least 10 dengue patients were found receiving treatment on the ward's verandas and floors. Nurses said new dengue patients are being admitted every day, while some recover and return home. Currently, 23 dengue patients are undergoing treatment at the hospital. Hospital sources said 193 dengue patients were admitted in September, compared to 119 in August and 35 in July. A total of 376 dengue patients have received treatment at the hospital so far this year. Dr Nazmul Hasan Bipul, the hospital's resident medical officer, said the number of dengue patients is currently very high and the hospital has no enough beds to accommodate them. "Despite this, arrangements are being made on verandas and floors to admit and treat critically ill patients," he said. Nazmul said people are contracting dengue outside the traditional dengue season in recent years, with inadequate use of mosquito nets and a lack of public awareness contributing to the spread. Other government hospitals in the district were also struggling to cope with a surge in dengue patients. According to the District Civil Surgeon's Office, 33 new dengue cases were reported in Narayanganj in the 24 hours till Thursday morning. As of September 29, a total of 2,387 dengue cases have been recorded in the district, compared to 2,398 cases for the whole of 2025. Officially, no dengue-related death has been recorded in Narayanganj this year. However, several Narayanganj residents have reportedly died while receiving treatment at hospitals in Dhaka, and those deaths were not included in the district's official dengue mortality figures. Abu Siddique, 58, a chainman at the Rupganj Upazila Land Office and a resident of Bandar, reportedly died in Dhaka on August 28 while undergoing treatment for dengue, according to media reports. Two women from Sonakanda Chowdhurypara in Ward 21 of Narayanganj City Corporation have also reportedly died after contracting dengue. One of them, Asha Begum, was initially treated at Khanpur Hospital in Narayanganj. Her condition later deteriorated and she died while being taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, her family said. Meanwhile, Dr Sheikh Mostafa Ali, a medical officer of the NCC, has contracted dengue and is receiving treatment at home. Dr Nafia Islam, another NCC medical officer, said regular mosquito-control drives, insecticide spraying and awareness campaigns are being conducted across the city. Authorities are also conducting enforcement drives and imposing fines. Civil Surgeon Dr SM Sakhawat Hossain said the nationwide rise in dengue cases has put pressure on hospitals. "Victoria Hospital has 100 beds, so it is not possible to provide beds for all the patients. However, medical care cannot be stopped because of this. We are trying to treat patients in whatever way possible," he said. He urged people to remain vigilant against dengue, stressing that prevention requires both government action and public awareness. Nationwide, four people died of dengue and 1,978 new patients were admitted to hospitals in the 24 hours till 8:00am on Thursday. With the latest deaths, the dengue death toll rose to 249 in the country this year, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Since January 1, a total of 81,598 dengue patients have been admitted to hospitals across the country, of whom 75,699 have recovered.

Six more people died of dengue and 1,593 new patients were hospitalised across the country in the 24 hours until 8:00am on Sunday. With the latest fatalities, the dengue death toll has risen to 184 in the country this year, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Among the deaths, two each died in Chattogram and Khulna divisions while one each in Dhaka and Barishal divisions. Since January 1 this year, a total of 61,972 dengue patients were admitted to hospitals across the country. Of them, 57,610 have recovered.

A woman died of dengue while undergoing treatment at Faridpur Medical College Hospital on Thursday night, bringing the district's total dengue death toll to five this year. The deceased was identified as Rebeka Begum, 45, hailing from Muksudpur upazila in Gopalganj district. Faridpur Civil Surgeon Dr Md Mahmudul Hasan said Rebeka was admitted to the hospital on September 14 after contracting dengue fever. According to the Civil Surgeon’s office, 25 new patients were admitted to different government hospitals across the district with dengue symptoms in the last 24 hours. Currently, 81 dengue patients are undergoing treatment at government health facilities in Faridpur. Official records show that a total of 520 patients have received treatment for dengue in the district's government hospitals during the current dengue season, with five fatalities reported so far. The civil surgeon assured that the local health department is strictly following government guidelines and exercising maximum vigilance to ensure proper medical care for dengue patients. He added that regular cleanliness drives are being conducted in coordination with the district administration and municipal authorities, alongside public awareness campaigns. "In addition to government measures, local residents must remain cautious by preventing stagnant water in and around homes to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds," Mahmudul said, adding that collective efforts are essential to tackle the dengue outbreak.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday urged students to keep their homes, educational institutions and surroundings clean to help prevent dengue. He also advised them to play regularly alongside their studies and be caring towards animals and other living creatures. The Prime Minister gave the advice when a group of students from Kalmakanda Girls’ High School in Netrokona met him in front of his office at the Parliament complex around 5:30pm. Addressing the students, he stressed the need for everyone to remain aware of dengue prevention and ensure that no water remains stagnant in and around their homes. Tarique Rahman urged them to start the habit of cleanliness from their own families and encourage family members, friends and neighbours to keep their surroundings clean. “Your small initiatives can help build a clean and healthy society,” he told them. During the meeting, he also asked the students about their studies, classes and future aspirations. Stressing the importance of physical and mental development, the Prime Minister advised them to focus not only on textbooks but also to take part in regular sports and physical exercise. He also urged them to treat animals with kindness and avoid any cruel behaviour towards them, saying compassion for living creatures is a sign of a humane society. A total of 42 students from Classes VI to X visited Parliament to watch a session. They were accompanied by five teachers and two members of the school’s governing body. The students got the opportunity to meet the Prime Minister while visiting the Parliament complex. They expressed excitement at meeting Tarique Rahman in person and said they are keen to follow his advice in their own lives and share the messages with their families, schoolmates and people in their community.

Bangladesh recorded its highest number of dengue deaths in a single day this year on Tuesday, with nine people succumbing to the mosquito-borne disease in the past 24 hours. The latest fatalities pushed the nationwide death toll to 130 since January 1, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Of the latest deaths, three were reported in Dhaka South City Corporation, two each in Dhaka and Khulna divisions, and one each was recorded in Barishal and Mymensingh divisions. During the period, 1,571 new dengue patients were hospitalised across the country, also the highest daily tally recorded this year, taking the cumulative number of cases to 45,475. Of the total patients, 42,127 have been discharged after recovery, according to the DGHS.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Sunday directed the authorities concerned to intensify cleanliness drives and public awareness campaigns across the country with people's participation to prevent the spread of dengue. He gave the directives at a meeting on the dengue situation and measures to combat the disease held at the Bangladesh Secretariat, said Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu. The Prime Minister stressed greater public participation in dengue prevention instead of relying solely on government agencies. He called for raising awareness about keeping homes and surroundings clean, removing stagnant water and waste, and eliminating mosquito breeding grounds. Tarique Rahman also directed the authorities to involve disaster management volunteers, Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC), Rover Scouts and Red Crescent volunteers in cleanliness and awareness activities. He emphasised conducting cleanliness drives at the local level by engaging people through these volunteers. The meeting also discussed strengthening treatment facilities and patient-management capacity for dengue patients at upazila-level hospitals. The supply of mosquito nets for admitted dengue patients was also discussed to reduce the risk of the disease spreading through mosquitoes that bite infected patients. Stressing the need to ensure implementation of the decisions taken at the meeting, the Prime Minister said, “The decisions must be reflected in the field.” Emphasising prevention as the key to combating dengue, he directed the authorities concerned to work in a coordinated manner and undertake extensive awareness campaigns to ensure people's participation in cleanliness activities. Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, State Minister Mir Shahe Alam, State Minister for Health and Family Welfare MA Muhit, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant for Health Dr SM Ziauddin Hyder, Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Abdus Salam, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Shakirul Islam Khan and secretaries and senior officials of the ministries and divisions concerned were present.

Bangladesh is witnessing a rise in dengue cases, with the mosquito-borne disease spreading across the country and the number of infections and deaths continuing to increase, putting fresh pressure on hospitals and health authorities. Since January 1 this year, a total of 41,032 dengue patients have been admitted to hospitals across the country. Of them, 38,179 have been discharged after recovery, while 113 have died till Saturday (Sept 5), according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) alone recorded 39 deaths during the period, accounting for around 34.5 percent of the total fatalities reported across the country this year. The city corporation also recorded 5,400 dengue cases, accounting for 13.16 percent of the cumulative cases reported nationwide. The figures highlight the concentration of dengue-related deaths in the DSCC area, where the disease continues to pose a significant public health concern.