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Mosquito menace has reached a level of intensity beyond ordinary badness in Rangpur city in recent times, causing intolerable pain to the townspeople.
The city dwellers have become fed up with unremitting mosquito attacks.
Mosquito infestation is becoming extreme day after day. The city dwellers are worried about when or to what extent they will get relief from the mosquito infestation or whether they will get relief at all.
Patients, children, students and elderly people are the worst sufferers of the adverse circumstances caused by the menacing mosquito attacks.
Some city residents alleged that mosquito attacks start turning into a public nuisance soon after the dark.
One cannot stay outdoors in the face of nagging mosquito bites. It is difficult even to stay indoors.
In this situation, people are trying to protect themselves from mosquito bites in various ways, including using mosquito coils, electric bats, mosquito nets and aerosols.
It is learnt, due to such unabated menace of mosquito, risk of mosquito-borne diseases is also increasing.
A good number of city residents alleged that unclean drains, scattered garbage and shrubs are the main causes of the mosquito proliferation.
Besides, the city corporation's mosquito control activities have slowed down remarkably in the absence of public representatives, they further alleged.
Hafiz, a resident of Rangpur city, told The Financial Express, "I have been living in Rangpur city for over 45 years. During past several years, mosquito infestation has become intolerable."
"Mosquitoes are buzzing all the time, day and night. If the house windows are opened even for several minutes, all the mosquitoes come in," he added.
Saiful, a vegetable trader at Kamal Kachhna Bazar in the city, told the FE "People are fed up with menace of mosquitoes. There is no sign of a decrease in mosquito nuisance. It has become so difficult for us to run our business activities smoothly due to mosquito menace."
Papia Shamima, a resident of Dewanbari road area in the city, said, "The mosquitoes are very much tormenting. Children are not able to study at all. They have to keep coils burning all the time, smokes from which also cause trouble from them. Mosquito infestation has increased because of not cleaning the drains and canals for a long time.
Moreover, Shyamasundari Canal flowing beside her house has been filled with waste and bushes. But the city corporation authorities seem to be indifferent to the matter, she added.
Meanwhile, patients and their relatives at Rangpur Medical College Hospital are also having to undergo extreme sufferings from mosquito infestation.
They even cannot sleep deeply owing to mosquito infestation at different wards of the hospital.
Akmal, a resident of Kamal Kachhna area, said, "There is no mayor, no councilor in the city corporation. There is no supervision whatsoever. In fact, I don't understand whether any mosquito control activities are going on or not. I can't remember the last time I saw mosquito control activities in our area," he added.
When contacted, waste management officer of Rangpur City Corporation, Nure Alam told The Financial Express that regular drives are being conducted to clean drains and canals. Anti-mosquito crash programme is ongoing covering different areas of the city. Measures include spraying pesticides and clearing bushes that serve as breeding grounds of mosquito.
He also said many people are not keeping the bushes next to their houses clean. Mosquitoes are also increasing from the water in the roof garden tubs. City dwellers need to be a bit more conscious of these issues."
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