Science Minister Urges Field-Ready Tech Solutions for Dengue

Minister for Science and Technology Fakir Mahtab Anam has called upon scientists and researchers to move beyond theoretical seminars and deliver rapid, field-deployable technological solutions to tackle the worsening dengue crisis. He made these observations on Sunday (October 25, 2026) while addressing a meeting on "Exploring Scientific Collaboration for Dengue and Mosquito Control via Wolbachia-Based Technology" held at the Bangladesh Secretariat.

The Minister highlighted that dengue has evolved into a critical public health emergency, with patient admissions rising rapidly across hospitals in Dhaka and nationwide. Following directive mandates from the Prime Minister, he urged researchers, city corporations, and scientific bodies to bypass bureaucratic delays and execute actionable pilot projects directly on the ground.

Speaking at the event, Science and Technology Secretary Md. Anwar Hossain stressed inter-agency scientific coordination. He noted that vector-control technologies must align with Bangladesh’s climate, geographical context, and cost-effectiveness parameters for successful deployment.

It was disclosed during the meeting that a major pilot project supported by grants from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Temasek Foundation will be initiated shortly. The project will deploy Wolbachia-based biological suppression technology while integrating local entomologists and institutions to enhance national research capacity.

The session was attended by Singaporean Chargé d'affaires in Bangladesh Philip Ong, Michigan State University Department of Microbiology Chairman Prof. Dr. Zhiyong Xi, SymbioCI SEA CEO David Quek Yeong Kee, as well as representatives from IEDCR, BCSIR, Jahangirnagar University entomologist Prof. Dr. Kabirul Bashar, and Dhaka University Prof. Dr. M. Firoz Zaman.

//DBTech/MAMS/MSI/MIST//