The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Culling of chickens is continuing in the country. Some 20,000 fowls were culled and 25 eggs destroyed in Matasagar area of Sadar upazila in Dinajpur yesterday.

Due to the endemic of bird flu across the country 40 per cent poultry farms have shut down and price of fish has increased further in the city kitchen markets. Fish is being sold at Tk 40 to Tk 50 more from the price of the previous weeks taking advantage of the lull in the sale of chicken.

Meanwhile, experts at a press conference in the city urged the Caretaker Government (CG) to take measures so that migratory birds do not come in contact with the local birds.

They also urged the CG to implement the ban on import of poultry and poultry related items from the effected countries for the prevention of avian influenza, virus of bird flu, in Bangladesh.

The press conference on 'Upcoming bird flu disaster in Bangladesh: Ways to remedies' organised by Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) at Moni Singh- Farhad Trust Auditorium yesterday.

Prof Muzaffar Ahmed, President of BAPA, presided over the conference, while Dr SK Roy, scientist of ICDDR,B, Dr Md Abdul Motin, General Secretary of BAPA, spoke on the occasion.

The speakers urged the CG to increase quality and number of laboratory with facilities for virus identification of chicken and ensuring use of mobile laboratory kits across the country.

They demanded to increase ability, manpower and financial assistance of the national avian influenza task force.

In Dinajpur, district livestock officials said they culled the fowls and destroyed the eggs in six poultry farms from Wednesday night to yesterday morning after detection of the bird flu in the area.

About 50,000 fowls, ducks and pigeons were culled and one-lakh eggs destroyed in the last one week in the district, they said.