Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Atiqul Islam has apologized to the families of the people who lost their lives to the diseases caused by mosquito-borne dengue virus.
"I offer my sincerest apology to those who have lost their loved ones to dengue. This is utterly unexpected," he made the admission of guilt at a press conference at DNCC Nagar Bhaban in Dhaka's Gulshan on Wednesday.
DNCC Chief Health Officer Brig Gen Mominur Rahman Mamun, among others, was present at the event.
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In the wake of the recent dengue outbreak, Dhaka being the centre of it, the two Dhaka city corporations have faced strong criticism from the public for their alleged inaction in controlling the spread of the Aedes mosquitoes, which carries the virus.
The dengue outburst has turned into a serious health menace across Bangladesh with the deaths of several patients and thousands more being infected every day.
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According to latest data from the Health Emergency Operation Centre and Control Room of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), a total of 32,340 people were identified as dengue patients across the country between January 1 and August 7.
Of them, 2,428 were identified and admitted to hospitals between Tuesday and Wednesday morning.
Also, 8,707 are currently undergoing treatment in different hospitals countrywide.
A total 23 dengue patients have died across Bangladesh from January 1 till August 7, according to their own collected data.
According to DGHS, the dengue death toll was 23 until Wednesday.
The unofficial tally reported by the mass media, however, puts the death toll near 70.
