The Chattogram City Corporation has launched a new mosquito control drive using an American larvicide technology for the first time, aiming to reduce dengue, chikungunya, and malaria across the city.
The campaign began today (1 December) in South Halishahar’s Ward 39, where officials sprayed water-mixed Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (BTI) powder through fogger machines into canals and drains.
Acting Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Ashraful Amin said the city struggled earlier due to gaps in manpower and training. “The teams are now trained. We’ll start with special operations in 25 identified danger zones. Spraying BTI during drain-cleaning drives will yield faster results,” he said.
Chief Cleaning Officer Captain Ikhtiar Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury said the city previously used Temiphos 50 but switched to the more advanced and tested BTI under the mayor’s instruction.
“One round of BTI lasts up to 15 days. Its effectiveness is around 98 to 99 percent. But long-term use of a single product can lead to resistance, so scheduled rotation of chemicals is essential,” he noted.
City officials said BTI will gradually be applied across all neighborhoods, and they expect a marked improvement in controlling mosquito-borne diseases once full coverage is achieved.