Dhaka, March 26 -- The Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) has begun an experimental deployment of Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (BTI), a larvicide or insecticide, in an effort to curb the surging mosquito population in the port city.

CCC Mayor Shahadat Hossain inaugurated the initiative on Wednesday, overseeing the first application at a canal in the Syed Shah Road area of Bakalia's Ward No 17.

The mayor described BTI as an "environmentally friendly" solution, saying the biological agent targets mosquito larvae while leaving other aquatic life-such as fish, frogs and other organisms-unharmed.

"We are analysing the effectiveness of several pesticides for mosquito control," he said.

"BTI is a proven method, used in countries like th...