Bangladesh’s dengue situation has taken an alarming turn this year, with experts warning that the outbreak may extend into the winter season—an unusual pattern that signals a deepening public health crisis. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), more than 1,02,286 people have been infected and at least 412 have died as of December 25.
Inadequate awareness, the absence of proper mosquito control programs, climate variability, irregular rainfall, and rapid urbanisation have created ideal breeding conditions for Aedes mosquitoes, leading to a year-round rise in dengue and chikungunya infections.
Professor Kabirul Bashar, an entomologist and mosquito-borne disease researcher at Jahangirnagar University, said dengue has expanded far beyond its traditional seasonal limits.
“Dengue is no longer a monsoon-driven disease. It has become a nationwide, year-round crisis,” he said. “The density of larvae this year is exceptionally high. Flowerpots, drums, construction sites—every container is now producing multiple times more mosquitoes.”
Outbreak spreads from Dhaka to rural regions
While Dhaka North and South City Corporations continue to record the highest number of infections, the virus is spreading rapidly to district towns and rural areas.
“Dengue was once an urban disease. Now it has reached upazila levels because villages are becoming increasingly urbanized,” Prof Bashar said. “People store water in buckets, drums and tanks due to irregular supply, giving Aedes the perfect habitat,” he added.
Increased domestic travel and the absence of mosquito control programmes in rural areas have accelerated the spread. Recent analyses show that nearly two-thirds of new patients now come from outside Dhaka.
Younger population most affected
Health data indicate that individuals aged 16 to 30—mainly students and working youth—make up the largest share of cases.
“They spend more time outdoors, in and around environments where mosquito breeding is high,” Prof Bashar explained. “The economic impact is severe, with lost work hours, rising medical expenses and disrupted education.”
Dr Shamsur Rahman, a medicine specialist, said that dengue has changed its pattern significantly.
“Many patients are coming to hospitals late, causing complications to escalate quickly. The most dangerous misconception is assuming that a patient has recovered just because the fever subsides. Without monitoring platelet counts, haematocrit levels and the body’s fluid balance, a patient’s condition can become critical within a very short time,” he said.
He added that decentralizing healthcare is crucial to reducing dengue deaths. At present, patients with all kinds of illnesses—from mild to severe—are crowding medical colleges and large hospitals. Although the number of doctors has increased, hospital beds, ICU capacity and critical care facilities have not grown proportionately, leaving seriously ill patients without timely care during crises.
Behavioural shift in mosquitoes, genetic change in virus
Researchers warn that Aedes mosquitoes are evolving. “Previously they bit during the day; now many are biting after dusk,” Prof Bashar said. “Virus strains have also changed, becoming more infectious and increasing the risk of complications.”
Public health experts say there is a lack of personal awareness as well as poor coordination in mosquito control efforts by the government and local authorities.
“Aedes mosquitoes breed wherever water accumulates—inside homes, on balconies, rooftops or at construction sites. This is why prevention must be prioritised before treatment. If every individual keeps their home and surroundings clean, dengue transmission could be reduced by half,” he added.
“The mosquito control efforts of city corporations are largely ineffective,” Prof Bashar added. “Integrated Vector Management is not being implemented scientifically. Public awareness remains low, and water containers inside homes continue to accumulate larvae.”
He said the absence of coordination among DGHS, local government bodies, city corporations, schools and communities has further worsened the situation.
Administrative stagnation hampers dengue control
Throughout 2025, dengue control in Dhaka remained largely confined to plans on paper, with little success on the ground. The city’s two corporations have been run by administrators for about 16 months in the absence of elected mayors, during which leadership changed more than five times.
This lack of continuity has weakened urban management, particularly in tackling public health crises like dengue. Although routine cleaning and mosquito control activities continued, no major long-term or coordinated strategy was implemented. As a result, dengue control showed no visible improvement in 2025. Stakeholders say political instability further undermined prevention efforts.
Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Administrator Md Mahmudul Hasan said both authorities and citizens share responsibility for controlling Aedes mosquitoes. “Mobile courts will conduct sudden inspections,” he said, emphasizing awareness and regular field-level monitoring.
DSCC Chief Executive Officer Md Zahirul Islam said that public campaigns are ongoing through newspapers, television, social media and religious institutions, adding that special clean-up drives are also being relaunched.
What needs to be done now
Public health experts say immediate, coordinated action is essential to curb the dengue crisis. Key priorities include eliminating mosquito breeding sites through active community participation, deploying auto-dissemination traps and biological control methods, and strengthening hospital capacity at the district and upazila levels. They also stress the need for effective coordination among government agencies and the introduction of nationwide weekly household inspections.
“Dengue is no longer just a health issue—it has become a national crisis affecting families, education and the economy,” Prof Bashar said. “Prevention starts at home. One clean household can save a life,” he added.
