The High Court on Tuesday directed the government to gather comprehensive information from the Directorate General of Health Services within 30 days and implement immediate measures to curb the rapid spread of dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases, particularly in Dhaka.
The bench of Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Mubina Asaf issued the directive in response to a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Mahin M Rahman.
The court instructed the local government secretary, health secretary, and two city corporations in Dhaka, among other authorities, to comply with the directive and submit a progress report within the 30-day timeframe.
The HC order came as the number of dengue deaths and hospitalisation has been increasing significantly across the country even in the month of November. Entomologists identify the failure of the agencies to control mosquitoes as one of the most important reasons behind the situation.
The court on Tuesday also ordered the formation of a high-powered committee to devise a long-term strategy to combat dengue nationwide.
It also issued a rule asking the authorities to explain why their failure to control the spread of dengue should not be deemed unlawful.
In its observations, the court emphasised the need for stronger government intervention to control dengue, Mahin told reporters.
According to the Directorate General of Health Services data, at least seven dengue patients died and 1,211 were hospitalised across the country in the past 24 hours till Tuesday morning.
The data shows that dengue killed more than 350 people so far between January 1 and November 12 in the ongoing year and the country witnessed over 72,000 reported cases during the period.