Published : Sunday, 24 March 2013
Arafat Ara
Avian influenza, otherwise called bird flu, has broken out in the country's poultry farms.
The flu has spread panic among the farmers as they fear the outbreak might cause huge losses once again, claimed industry insiders.
"We came to know that a large number of poultry farms have been affected by bird flu virus in the northern districts include Rangpur, Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha," said Bangladesh Poultry Industries Association (BPIA) Joint Secretary General Khandokar Mohsin.
He said till now the officials of the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) did not visit the affected areas citing shortage of funds.
"So we fear the authorities have allowed the farmers to market the sick chickens," said the BPIA secretary.
At least 15 farms have been affected by the virus in Rajshahi district, said Tabibur Rahman, a farm owner.
He also fears as his 46,000 chickens are at the risk of bird flu.
Mahbub Alam, another poultry farmer in Rangpur, said already he lost 3,000 Sonali parent (Pakistani cock) and 600 layer birds because of the seasonal disease.
"After seeing the symptoms, I suspect the disease is bird flu,' he said.
Bird flu usually is found to be active at the beginning of winter and summer seasons, said poultry farm owners.
The farmers are selling their infected chickens in the markets hiding the information as the government does not give adequate compensation to the farmers, they said.
The farmers have demanded supply of vaccines all over the country as it is available in Gazipur and Kishoreganj.
Acting Director General (DG) of DLS Musaddique Hossain, however, said he has not yet been informed by the farmers of the spread of any disease like bird flu.
"If we come to know about the disease, we would take immediate measures in this regard," he said.
"Vaccination has been introduced experimentally in Gazipur district and partly in Kishoreganj in Dhaka division," said Mr Hossain. The experiment yielded good results in those areas.
"But till now, we have not taken any decision to bring all farms under the vaccination programme," the DLS DG added.
There are 60,824 poultry farms in the country, as per the data of the Bangladesh Poultry Khamar Rakkha Jatiya Parishad.
Bird flu first broke out in the country in 2007 when more than a million chickens were culled and tens of thousands of small farms were closed as the flu ravaged the industry for more than six months.
Avian influenza, otherwise called bird flu, has broken out in the country's poultry farms.
The flu has spread panic among the farmers as they fear the outbreak might cause huge losses once again, claimed industry insiders.
"We came to know that a large number of poultry farms have been affected by bird flu virus in the northern districts include Rangpur, Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha," said Bangladesh Poultry Industries Association (BPIA) Joint Secretary General Khandokar Mohsin.
He said till now the officials of the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) did not visit the affected areas citing shortage of funds.
"So we fear the authorities have allowed the farmers to market the sick chickens," said the BPIA secretary.
At least 15 farms have been affected by the virus in Rajshahi district, said Tabibur Rahman, a farm owner.
He also fears as his 46,000 chickens are at the risk of bird flu.
Mahbub Alam, another poultry farmer in Rangpur, said already he lost 3,000 Sonali parent (Pakistani cock) and 600 layer birds because of the seasonal disease.
"After seeing the symptoms, I suspect the disease is bird flu,' he said.
Bird flu usually is found to be active at the beginning of winter and summer seasons, said poultry farm owners.
The farmers are selling their infected chickens in the markets hiding the information as the government does not give adequate compensation to the farmers, they said.
The farmers have demanded supply of vaccines all over the country as it is available in Gazipur and Kishoreganj.
Acting Director General (DG) of DLS Musaddique Hossain, however, said he has not yet been informed by the farmers of the spread of any disease like bird flu.
"If we come to know about the disease, we would take immediate measures in this regard," he said.
"Vaccination has been introduced experimentally in Gazipur district and partly in Kishoreganj in Dhaka division," said Mr Hossain. The experiment yielded good results in those areas.
"But till now, we have not taken any decision to bring all farms under the vaccination programme," the DLS DG added.
There are 60,824 poultry farms in the country, as per the data of the Bangladesh Poultry Khamar Rakkha Jatiya Parishad.
Bird flu first broke out in the country in 2007 when more than a million chickens were culled and tens of thousands of small farms were closed as the flu ravaged the industry for more than six months.
