Govt can't avoid responsibility for failure to timely procure effective mosquito repellents: HC

The High Court (HC) on Monday observed that the government along with the two city corporations of Dhaka cannot avoid the responsibility of not importing effective medicines in time to prevent dengue menace.

Besides, the court fixed August 28 (Wednesday) for passing an order on whether a judicial commission will be constituted to probe into the incident of deaths due to dengue and chikungunya, another mosquito-borne disease.

The High Court bench of Justice Tariq ul Hakim and Md Shohrowardy passed the observations while hearing a suo moto rule issued in this regard.

Barrister Taufiq Inam Tipu appeared in the court on behalf of the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Barrister Sayeed Ahmed Raja appeared for the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) while Deputy Attorney General Kazi Mainul Hasan stood for the government.

Yesterday (Monday), local government and rural development (LGRD) ministry, DNCC and DSCC submitted three reports in the court on what steps they have taken to fight dengue menace, complying with court's earlier order passed on August 20 in this regard.

The LGRD said in its report that the government is working to formulate a long-term plan to prevent dengue and chikunguniya in future.

DSCC authorities said in its report that it has imported two kinds of medicines from an Indian company and it was being sprayed in different areas from August 10.

DSCC lawyer said, "We appealed to the government so that they import medicines. But the appeal was denied due to bureaucratic complexity. That is why we did not spray medicines for the last seven days."

DNCC lawyer did not get the opportunity to read its report in the court.

After hearing the parties, the court expressed dissatisfaction over steps of the concerned bodies of the government along with the DNCC and DSCC for their failure to kill dengue mosquitoes and to import effective medicines in time.

The court said, "The government along with the two city corporations of Dhaka cannot avoid the responsibility for not importing effective medicines in time to kill dengue mosquitoes. People are dying of dengue. We will pass order on August 28 on whether a judicial commission will be constituted to probe into it."

Earlier on July 14, the same HC bench ordered the DNCC and DSCC mayors and CEOs (chief executive officers), Health Secretary, LGRD Secretary, DG of DGHS to submit reports on what steps have been taken by them to prevent dengue and chikungunya.

On the same day on July 14, the court also issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the inaction and failure of the respondents to prevent dengue mosquitoes should not be declared illegal.

A record 63,514 dengue infected people went to hospitals this year, according to the DGHS.

The number is five times that of last year. The total number of infected people is likely to be even higher because many cases go unreported.

At least 5,940 people are currently admitted to different hospitals across the country.