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Syndrome. It involves critical damage to organs such as the liver, brain, heart, kidneys, and central nervous system.
Dr Ahsan said patients with comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, or chronic lung and kidney disease are particularly vulnerable.
Many patients fail to recognise warning signs like severe abdominal pain, breathing difficulty, bleeding, extreme weakness, or a sharp drop in urination and platelet count. By the time they reach the hospital, their condition has often deteriorated significantly, he said.
He recommended immediate hospitalisation for any patient displaying these warning signs. Additionally, he advised patients with comorbidities, the elderly, and pregnant women to be admitted at the onset of dengue fever to minimise the risk of death.
Dr Ahsan also warned about the dangers of cross-infection from different dengue serotypes, which can cause more severe outcomes if medical intervention is delayed. Anyone experiencing fever should consult a doctor immediately and follow the prescribed treatment, he advised.
He said many patients from Dhaka arrive at hospitals late -- often without having received adequate fluid therapy during transport. By the time they get here, many are already in shock. Early intervention could have saved many of these lives, he said.
Public health expert Dr Mushtaq Hussain said decentralising the healthcare system is vital to reducing dengue-related deaths.
If patients can access early treatment, they are less likely to reach a critical stage, he said.
While the healthcare system outside Dhaka includes community clinics, union health centres, upazila health complexes, and district hospitals, it often lacks essential equipment. In contrast, Dhaka lacks a functional multi-tiered system altogether, he observed.
In Dhaka, there are no proper primary healthcare centres, and the few secondary hospitals that exist are often underutilised due to a lack of basic facilities.
He said complications from dengue usually arise after the fever subsides, but early symptoms are often ignored, as many assume they are recovering.
He stressed the need for a tiered treatment model dividing care into primary, secondary, and tertiary levels to improve case management and reduce deaths. “A stronger primary healthcare system is essential, especially for low-income communities.”
He also called for more blood collection centres and expanded secondary care services within Dhaka.
A clear policy decision is urgently required to implement this decentralised model, Dr Mushtaq added.
Govt begins destroying
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9,378,900 saplings. The initial budget allocation stands at Tk 37.6 million.
Cox’s Bazar leads the list, with 1.73 million saplings being destroyed in the first phase. Other high-figure districts include Bandarban (792,100), Gaibandha (784,300), Chattogram (738,400), and Tangail (728,000).
In the greater Chattogram region -- which includes Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Noakhali, Feni, and Lakshmipur -- the DAE reported a combined stock of 6.31 million saplings. In Cox’s Bazar alone, 1.73 million of the 4.07 million total saplings are being removed now, with the rest scheduled for later.
Dr Md Jamal Uddin, additional director (monitoring and implementation) at the DAE, said compensation is being provided, and nursery owners are required to sign declarations agreeing not to grow the banned species again.
While sapling production is overseen by the DAE, mature tree management falls under the Forest Department. No final decision has been taken yet on the fate of mature eucalyptus and akashmoni trees planted nationwide.
Polls delay
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He questioned whether government officials, apart from the advisers, are attending their offices regularly or properly carrying out their duties.
He alleged that corruption is continuing unchecked, just as it has over the past 17 years, and in some areas, it has even increased.
Gayeshwar said the current government is unable to function effectively due to a lack of coordination and governance experience. “Had they asserted their authority properly, many of these controversies might not have happened.”
He said BNP does not intend to criticise the interim government harshly, as it is a non-partisan administration. “Only an elected government is accountable to the people -- not an unelected one.”
Gayeshwar warned that without an elected government in place, the country is likely to face further uncertainty.