Poultry business behind anthrax scare: Minister

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The anthrax scare is nothing but propaganda of seven organisations of the poultry traders, the livestock minister has claimed, report agencies.
After a meeting with the meat and dairy traders at the Secretariat Sunday, minister Abdul Latif Biswas said intelligence reports reveal that those organisations of poultry owners, which he did not name, were involved in spreading such panic.
"We're considering measures against them," he said.
The minister's comments came after repeated protests and demands by the meat traders around the country, who had been identifying that some vested quarters were conspiring over the anthrax issue and were taking advantage.
The minister also said since the beginning of anthrax 48 cows and 56 goats died, and more than 500 people were affected by the disease. He also pointed out that no new anthrax-infected cattle had been identified since September 18.
However, Institute of Epidemiology, Diseases Control and Research (IEDCR) website states that 607 cases have been detected across the country until Saturday.
Biswas said a draft bill about slaughtering cows will be placed at the cabinet meeting today (Monday) for its consideration. If the bill is passed, cows will have to be slaughtered only after medical check and this will control the slaughtering.
Earlier on September 28, Biswas expressed the hope that if everything went well the government would be able to bring the anthrax situation under control one month before the Eid-ul Azha.
All district authorities, including the authorities from yet-to-be-infected districts, have been ordered to store sufficient vaccines. The situation is under our careful observation, Biswas added.