Mosquito quite powerful, don't let it eat into votes: Bangla PM Hasina to leaders

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday told her party leaders that the mosquito, despite being a small insect, is quite powerful and they should not allow it to take a toll on their popularity among voters.

Speaking at the oath-taking ceremony for the newly-elected mayors and councillors of Dhaka, Hasina told them to find ways to keep the mosquito menace in check, bdnews24 news website reported.

"You must make sure the mosquito menace does not take a toll on your popularity and reduce the number of votes. Despite being a small insect, the mosquito is quite powerful," she said.

Hasina asked the public representatives to ensure equal services for all citizens and alleviate their sufferings by controlling the mosquito menace.

"Sometimes you confront multiple problems at the same time. Right now, we're facing the risks of coronavirus; dengue was another problem just days ago. We need to destroy the mosquito breeding grounds," she said.

Last year, Bangladesh faced its worst-ever dengue fever outbreak as hospitals were flooded with patients, putting a severe strain on the country's already overwhelmed medical system.

Dhaka, an overcrowded megacity that was the epicenter of the outbreak, struggled to contain the mosquito-borne viral infection, drawing criticism and spreading panic among some residents.

Dengue is found in tropical areas around the world and is spread by a type of mosquito that mainly lives in urban areas.

The virus causes severe flu-like symptoms and while there is no specific treatment for the illness, medical care to maintain a person's fluid levels is seen as critical.