Dhaka North starts using Bti insecticide to better control dengue

The Dhaka North City Corporation has started using the Bti insecticide for the first time in the country after importing it from Singapore to better tackle the ongoing dengue onslaught.

The new insecticide was first applied in the Gulshan-2 area in the capital on Monday in the presence of Dhaka North Mayor Atiqul Islam.

The insecticide temephos has been applied in the country for the last four decades, but in many cases, it is less effective than Bti, which is being used in many developed countries. Thus, Dhaka North decided to discuss Bti's import into the country with experts and follow through the necessary procedures.

Mayor Atiqul Islam suggested that the new insecticide can also be used by individuals if drug companies start selling it over-the-counter.

The mayor said Bti is environment friendly as it does not hurt the fisheries and other aquatic animals after being sprayed in the water, thereby ensuring ecological balance while at the same time exterminating aedes larvaes.

Furthermore, Bti can allow better area coverage. Bti can be applied every ten days in the same area as opposed to the requirement of using temephos twice a week, enabling mosquito killing drives to be conducted in more areas in the same time.

In rainy periods, Bti has to be applied every week though, Mayor Atiqul said.

A well-planned initiative has been taken to ensure proper application of the insecticide. All the teams in the ten areas of Dhaka North would be trained over the next five days on Bti use. The training would be followed up with strict monitoring of application to ensure aedes extermination.

Initially, five tonnes of Bti have been imported to cover the next three months.