To control Dengue, an app called 'Stop Dengue', incorporating nine agencies of three ministries, has been inaugurated. Though those in charge of mosquito control do not have much idea about the app.

On 17 Aug last, under the coordination of the ministry of local government, an MoU was signed which included Bangladesh Scouts, E-commerce Association of Bangladesh, Dhaka South and North city corporations, health ministry, local government department, Access to Information, ministry of relief and disaster management.

Late mayor Anisul Huq of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), introduced ‘Nagar app’ to terminate mosquitoes and to tackle other urban problems. But after the mayor’s death, the app was shut down by DNCC.

Anyway, the Stop Dengue app has been started and DSCC will also introduce their own app.

System analyst of DNCC, Md Tuhinul Islam, said: “I do not have an idea about the new app since I am new here.”

The app was launched at a programme called ‘Clean Bangladesh’ on Aug 17.

General secretary of E-cab, Mohammad Abdul Wahed Tomal, said during the unveiling of the app: “By using this, anyone will be able to locate Dengue breeding ground across Bangladesh and since this will provide mapping, the city corporation and local government people will easily be able to use it and deploy men as per the information.”

An official of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) added: “The idea of Stop Dengue is good but the app needs to be more effective since at the moment only photos can be sent to it; there is no information about where the photos are going and who is controlling it.”

DNCC mayor Atiqul Islam, said: “The matter can be elaborated by those who made the app.”

While the DSCC mayor, Mohammad Sayeed Khokon, said: “I have heard of Stop Dengue but am not enamoured with it; we have to control Dengue through hard work.”