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You have given a 38-point manifesto. Do you think you will be able to implement everything on there, or will work get delayed due to the Covid-19 outbreak?

Atiq: A lot of it depends on how the current situation plays out. I haven’t promised anything impractical in my manifesto. I talked about setting up lights, solving water and sanitation problems, developing newly added wards and so on.

But if there is a crisis of fund, it will be difficult to implement. No one knows what the state of the world will be even in a month, let alone the country. We will have to wait and see.

There have been complaints about mosquito infestation from multiple wards. How are you planning to tackle this amid the Covid-19 crisis?

Atiq: Before the coronavirus outbreak, we divided each ward into 10 sections and conducted anti-mosquito drives. Now there are mostly Culex mosquitoes in the city, but we always have to be cautious.

Institutions like Wasa and Rajuk also have to work hand in hand with DNCC. We have to keep in mind that we don’t harm the environment while getting rid of mosquitoes.

The season of Aedes mosquito is coming. I urge people to keep their houses and nearby areas clean. Solving the mosquito problem is indeed a big challenge, because workers who will give their time and effort into anti-mosquito drives are also in fear of infection during this outbreak. But still they are doing their job. We are monitoring the situation closely.

You are a former BGMEA president and a garments owner. What would you say on RMG factory owners not paying workers on time, as well as workers returning to Dhaka amid the shutdown to rejoin factories?

Atiq: After the coronavirus outbreak, I stopped all operations at my factory, and paid workers’ dues. Workers give their labour for owners’ business, and now it’s time for owners to benefit their workers during the crisis. Only workers cannot be put at risk while owners stay within the safety of their homes.