No law enforcing biosecurity on poultry farms

Officials at the Dept of Livestock say that the absence of policies and laws makes it difficult for them to force farmers to follow cautionary measures. If someone does not maintain bio-security measures at his or her farm other poultry farms of the area become vulnerable to avian influenza as the government cannot force them to take cautionary measures.

“Even if people slaughter and de-feather fowls in open spaces before taking them to markets, we can ask them not to do so, but we cannot force them. We cannot force them to spray disinfectants twice a day in the bird sheds and use gloves and masks while working with poultry,” said Mohammad Fazlay Rabbi Mandal of Upazila Livestock Office in Savar.

“The situation demands a distinct poultry policy to protect our poultry industry and we will finalise it soon,” said Secretary to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock Ataur Rahman, adding that the draft poultry policy has been prepared.

He continued in saying that there is an act in the country that has made registration of poultry farm owners compulsory, however, “we could not implement it properly”.

According to an official, 40% of poultry farms are not following even the bare minimum measures and procedures of bio-security. “We cannot even force the poultry farm owner to be registered so that we can monitor their farms time to time and take necessary steps regarding the prevention of bird flu,” said that official.