Experts at a roundtable demanded on Sunday removal of illegal feed mills from Hazaribagh area that are involved in making poultry and fish feed from tannery wastes causing cadmium and chromium pollution.
The participants said to cope with the rising demand for protein in the coming days, poultry will be the major source of animal protein.
With this end n view, it is a must to ensure healthy poultry meat and eggs free from toxic elements, they said.
The comments were made at the roundtable styled "The Role of the Poultry Industry to Meet the Demand for Safe Food and Nutrition for the Future Generation," held at the National Press Club in the city organised by the World Poultry Science Association, Bangladesh Branch (WPSA-BB).
Farm economist and former vice chancellor at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) Prof Abdus Sattar Mandol coordinated the programme.
Moshiur Rahman, president of WAPSA-BB said the poultry sector has done a tremendous job in last four decades.
The country's 37 per cent of animal protein are now met by poultry meat and eggs.
He said it has been possible only through the hard work and dedication of the sector people.
He said the whole industry is being criticised only for a few feed mills in Hazaribagh tannery hub.
"We are demanding removal of such mills to ensure cent per cent safe poultry food for the people," he said.
Dr Nazama Shaheen of Nutrition and Food Institute at Dhaka University presented the keynote that disclosed that the country is facing a shortage of meat and eggs.
Her paper showed that a person should eat 104 eggs annually whereas a Bangladeshi gets only 45-55 eggs.
Her paper said annual deficit of poultry meat in the country is approximately 1.51 million (15 lakh) tonnes.
It said the human body needs 20 kinds of amino acids of which 10 are most essential.
"Egg contains all of the 20 kinds of amino acids in proper ratio," the paper said.
Dr Md Gias Uddin, Head of Research at Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI) emphasised on increasing healthy poultry industries by ensuring tannery wastes- free poultry feeds.
The proportion of toxic elements like cadmium and chromium may surge in meat if birds take feed made of tannery wastes which is dangerous for human health, he said.
He said studies found chromium ranging from 249 microgram (mg) to 4,561 mg per kg in chickens that consumed feed manufactured with tannery wastes when the permissible limit is 10-60 mg.
He also pointed out that the country's farm land is shrinking while the population is increasing.
He said the poultry sector has an advantage despite shortage of lands as it could be increased vertically by adopting modern technologies.
Dr Sattar Mandol said: "Earlier we only emphasised on increasing production and now our headache is to ensure safe food."
He said the government has started implementing the Safe Food Law from the beginning of the current month which is a noteworthy job to ensure healthy food for the consumers.
Dr Nitish Chandra Debnath, national consultant of FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations) said the industry should give 'an assurance' that they would supply poultry food which will be cent per cent free from toxic elements.
He said 'assurance' means compliance---from production level to supply level.
"Poultry sector in the countries like the US, China and Singapore have been enlarged by giving such 'assurance' to the people," he said.
"And to do so, both the private and public sector should work jointly," he commented.
Dr Jahangir Alam, Chief Scientific Officer (Division of Animal Biotechnology) at National Institute of Biotechnology said local feed mills have done a tremendous job by reducing the cost of feed.
"And it has made it possible for the consumers to get meat and egg at cheaper rate compared to that of many least developed countries," he said.
"So, to clear the image of the sector, the government should take a policy package regarding the illegal feed mills at Hazaribagh tannery hub and the waste management," he said.
Md Sazzad Hossain, media adviser to Bangladesh Poultry Industries Coordination Committee (BPICC) showcased a video presentation on the history of Bangladeshi poultry industry.
However, WAPSA-BB disclosed that the 9th International Poultry Show and Seminar-2015 will be held in Dhaka from February 19 to 21 to boost poultry business in the country.
Nearly 147 companies of 47 countries will participate in the show where the sector expected a Tk15 billion spot trade, industry insiders said.
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com
Experts for removing illegal feed mills from Hazaribagh
FE Report | Published: February 16, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
Share if you like