Fear of bird flu pandemic
Thursday, 25 December 2008
Bad news is again on the horizon from the reported outbreak of the bird flu in the Indian states close to Bangladesh. With H5n1 virus again ravaging the poultry population in the Indian neighbouring states, there are strong reasons for authorities in Bangladesh to fear reentry of the virus into Bangladesh and afflicting its poultry population.
According to reports, bird flu was detected in thousands of dead chickens in the Indian state of West Bengal. About 300,000 chickens and ducks have been culled in Assam. These figures should give a clue in respect of the seriousness of the outbreak of the epidemic in neighbouring Indian territories. The danger to Bangladesh stems from the fact that notwithstanding monitoring by our security forces on the borders, chickens and eggs still find their way into this country through the long and porous borders between the two countries.
Thus, vigil by our BDR and other security forces need to be raised to the highest level to block such infected agents from passing into Bangladesh from across the Indo-Bangladesh borders. Side by side, even the Indian smugglers of chickens and eggs should be asked to control their greed and their attention be drawn to the harsh reality of how they would be pushing the lives of millions of their countrymen towards death from their greed for profits. People in general should be warned through regular publicity in the mass media for a while to be vigilant to ward off entry of Indian poultries and to cooperate in these matters with the security forces.
What is really ominous is the report in this paper on Thursday that some 100 people in Assam have been hospitalized with fever and respiratory problems. They are suspected to have contracted bid flu. This news is very alarming for us. Bangladesh has to be extremely efficient in checking bird flu at its gates.
Saiful Islam
Mohammadpur, Dhaka.
According to reports, bird flu was detected in thousands of dead chickens in the Indian state of West Bengal. About 300,000 chickens and ducks have been culled in Assam. These figures should give a clue in respect of the seriousness of the outbreak of the epidemic in neighbouring Indian territories. The danger to Bangladesh stems from the fact that notwithstanding monitoring by our security forces on the borders, chickens and eggs still find their way into this country through the long and porous borders between the two countries.
Thus, vigil by our BDR and other security forces need to be raised to the highest level to block such infected agents from passing into Bangladesh from across the Indo-Bangladesh borders. Side by side, even the Indian smugglers of chickens and eggs should be asked to control their greed and their attention be drawn to the harsh reality of how they would be pushing the lives of millions of their countrymen towards death from their greed for profits. People in general should be warned through regular publicity in the mass media for a while to be vigilant to ward off entry of Indian poultries and to cooperate in these matters with the security forces.
What is really ominous is the report in this paper on Thursday that some 100 people in Assam have been hospitalized with fever and respiratory problems. They are suspected to have contracted bid flu. This news is very alarming for us. Bangladesh has to be extremely efficient in checking bird flu at its gates.
Saiful Islam
Mohammadpur, Dhaka.