Dhaka, Sept. 28 -- Addressing a round table on mosquito control and dengue prevention in the capital's Bashundhara Residential Area on Saturday, the mayor said, "Countries around the world are able to buy and use insecticides. But it's not possible for us to do so because of a vested interest group."

"They have held the whole country hostage. The Plant Quarantine Wing misconstrued a government notice and blocked the import of insecticides."

Amid a massive outbreak of dengue this year, a research highlighted the ineffectiveness of the insecticides sprayed by Dhaka's bifurcated city corporations. By the time the authorities had moved to bring in more potent mosquito-killers, the number of dengue patients had soared past 50,000.

The impor...