DNCC to import pesticides directly from now on

Bangladesh (thedailystar.net) — May 18, 2024 — Dhaka North City Corporation has recently got the government's permission to reimport a pesticide directly from the mother company in Singapore in a bid to curb the spread of dengue fever.

The pesticide, Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) is a group of bacteria used as biological control agents for larvae stages of different pests, including mosquitoes.

Upon the government's approval, DNCC is gearing up to import Bti worth Tk 20 crore in three forms -- liquid, tablet, and powder -- from Best Chemical Company Limited in Singapore. It also has permission to bring the pesticide in granule form.

According to the DNCC's health department, taking lessons from the fraudulence involving the certificate of import and the product last year, this time DNCC itself is bringing this organic pesticide directly from Singapore.

The certificate of import of four types of Bti has been obtained from the Plant Protection Wing. DNCC is also in constant contact with the Singaporean company regarding the import of the pesticide.

Apart from DNCC, seven other companies have so far gotten permission to bring different types of Bti to the country.

The DNCC had applied to the ministry concerned to purchase and import mosquito insecticides without an open tender and got approval in principle on May 9 from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.

"The CCEA approved in principle the proposal to purchase or import insecticides through a direct purchase system to ensure uninterrupted mosquito control activities," Mahmudul Hossain Khan, coordination and reform secretary of the Cabinet Division, said after the CCEA meeting.

DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam said, "Bti is the best solution among biological methods of controlling mosquito populations. We have already worked on it. The process of importing Bti directly from Singapore is underway. We got approval from the government. Now we will bring it by air very soon."

"We learned a lesson from buying Bti last time. This time, it will not be brought through any contractor. DNCC will bring Bti directly from those who produce it," he added.

Johnny Wong, managing director of Best Chemicals, told The Daily Star, "DNCC has been in direct contact with BestChem regarding the possibilities of importing Bti. Due to confidentiality, we are unable to share any additional information at this time."

Last year, DNCC gave a tender to Marshall Agrovet to import Bti. Accordingly, five tonnes of Bti were handed over to DNCC. The importing contractor claimed that the pesticide was produced by Best Chemical Company Limited of Singapore, but the Singaporean company refuted the claim and issued a warning in this regard on its Facebook page. After this, the order to Marshall Agrovet was cancelled and DNCC blacklisted the company.

Source: thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/dncc-import-pesticides-directly-now-3612591