Announcement

**HenryN** · February 6, 2008, 01:37 AM

Re: BANGLADESH: Return of the bird flu threat

The above list compared with the day earlier has increases in the number of farms with confirmed H5 increasing from 113 to 116. Culled farms increasing from 175 to 179. The districts with new culling were:
Jhinaidah 2-->3
Norsingdhi 1-->2
Pabna 1-->3

**HenryN** · February 6, 2008, 02:09 AM

Re: BANGLADESH: Return of the bird flu threat

Originally posted by niman View Post

The above list compared with the day earlier has increases in the number of farms with confirmed H5 increasing from 113 to 116. Culled farms increasing from 175 to 179. The districts with new culling were:
Jhinaidah 2-->3
Norsingdhi 1-->2
Pabna 1-->3

Updated map

H5N1 India 2008 - Google My Maps

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&om=0&t=h&msa=0&msid=106484775090296685271.0004353ecc9cb8856de8c&num=200&start=200&ll=25.165173,89.25293&spn=8.902445,15.952148&z=6

India H5N1 in 2008 and recent outbreaks in adjacent regions of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar

**Gert van der Hoek** · February 6, 2008, 05:16 AM

Re: BANGLADESH: Return of the bird flu threat

Bird flu spreads to urban Bangladesh, officials say

Wed Feb 6, 2008

DHAKA (Reuters) - Bird flu has spread to the Bangladesh capital Dhaka and to the port city Chittagong despite efforts by authorities to contain it, livestock officials said on Wednesday.

Dozens of dead crows found over the past two days in Dhaka have tested positive for the H5N1 strain of bird flu. City authorities have ordered a ban on the sale of undressed chicken in Dhaka markets, the officials said.

In Chittagong, officials confirmed the spread of bird flu in several farms and also in crows that tested positive for the strain.

The virus has spread to 38 out of Bangladesh's 64 districts, and forced the culling of nearly 500,000 birds across the country.

Bird flu was first detected in Bangladesh at a poultry farm

near the capital last March, but so far has not infected humans in the densely populated country.

Lack of awareness about the virus is still widespread in the country, officials and media reports said.

On Wednesday, a Dhaka newspaper printed a photograph of a man collecting dead crows at the city's main Ramna Park with no mask and using his bare hands.

Touching or eating sick poultry can lead to infection by the H5N1 virus that has killed more than 220 people globally since late 2003.

reuters.com

http://uk.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUKDHA21213820080206

**Gert van der Hoek** · February 6, 2008, 05:17 AM

Re: BANGLADESH: Return of the bird flu threat

3,000 fowls culled in S Bangladesh after bird flu detected

www.chinaview.cn 2008-02-06

DHAKA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Some 3,066 fowls, ducks and pigeons were culled and 2,385 eggs have been destroyed at Saralia village in Morelganj sub-district in Bangladesh's southern Bagerhat district after detection of avian influenza.

Livestock officers conducted the operation Tuesday night with the help of joint forces after detection H5N1 virus in dead chickens of a poultry farm at the village, private news agency UNB reported Wednesday.

Besides, they also imposed ban on selling, rearing and carrying chickens, ducks and pigeons in and around one kilometer area of the affected farm.

As some 900 chickens of the poultry farm died on Sunday, livestock officials collected the samples of some dead chickens and sent those for laboratory test.

After getting the test report of the bird flu Tuesday night they immediately conducted the drive at two poultry farms and 134 houses in the area.

The avian influenza virus was first detected in a poultry farm in Savar, about 30 km northwest of the capital Dhaka, in March 2007. The situation has been getting worse since last month as the bird flu virus is spreading fast across the country.

The bird flu control room sources said so far 37 out of total 64 districts in the country have been affected by the bird flu.

感谢您的浏览！ - 新华网

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/06/content_7578236.htm

**HenryN** · February 6, 2008, 07:56 AM

Re: BANGLADESH: Return of the bird flu threat

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/02060803/H5N1_Crow_Concern.html

**HenryN** · February 6, 2008, 08:19 AM

Re: BANGLADESH: Return of the bird flu threat

BANGLADESH: Bird flu threatens poultry industry, livelihoods

<TABLE style="BORDER-RIGHT: #bbbbbb 1px solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5px; BORDER-TOP: #cccccc 1px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; MARGIN: 2px 5px 8px 0px; BORDER-LEFT: #cccccc 1px solid; WIDTH: 120px; PADDING-TOP: 5px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #bbbbbb 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #eeeeee" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 3px" align=right>
Photo: Shamsuddin Ahmed/IRIN </TD></TR><TR><TD class=ImgCreditCaption style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">Health workers spray a poultry farm in Chittagong, Bangladesh's second largest city </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
DHAKA, 6 February 2008 (IRIN) - Bangladesh?s poultry industry faces possible peril as bird flu spreads throughout the country: As of 5 February, H5N1 avian influenza outbreaks have been reported in 37 of the country?s 64 districts.

The industry is now confronted with its greatest challenge since large-scale poultry farming was first introduced in the 1980s.

All six divisional towns - Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet - have been affected, with chickens, ducks, pigeons, quails and wild cranes reportedly dying in their thousands. Scores of crows have reportedly died after eating the meat of dead chickens.

The authorities have already culled over half a million chickens at 175 poultry farms across the country, including 136 commercial farms and 39 backyard farms.

But despite these efforts, many are not convinced.

?I don?t care what government officials have to say about bird flu,? Aminul Huq, a poultry farmer in northern Bangladesh?s Dinajpur District near the border with India, remarked.

Just last week, over 2,500 birds at his farm died in a single night.

?We are panicked by the alarming spread of the disease. Instead of giving false assurances, the government should provide us with more preventative tools and gear,? Huq said - a call shared by industry experts.

<TABLE style="BORDER-RIGHT: rgb(187,187,187) 1px solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5px; BORDER-TOP: rgb(204,204,204) 1px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; MARGIN: 2px 8px 8px; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(204,204,204) 1px solid; WIDTH: 240px; PADDING-TOP: 5px; BORDER-BOTTOM: rgb(187,187,187) 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(238,238,238)" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=right><TBODY><TR><TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12px; COLOR: rgb(0,102,153); BORDER-BOTTOM: rgb(204,204,204) 1px solid; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; TEXT-ALIGN: center">More on bird flu in Bangladesh</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 8px; FONT: 10px tahoma; COLOR: rgb(0,102,153); PADDING-TOP: 8px; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">Experts dub deaths amongst crows, ducks ?alarming? </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 8px; FONT: 10px tahoma; COLOR: rgb(0,102,153); PADDING-TOP: 8px; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">Eighty-four poultry farms report deadly bird flu virus </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 8px; FONT: 10px tahoma; COLOR: rgb(0,102,153); PADDING-TOP: 8px; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">Bird flu ?spreading fast?, says expert</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 8px; FONT: 10px tahoma; COLOR: rgb(0,102,153); PADDING-TOP: 8px; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">Heightened concerns over bird flu</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 8px; FONT: 10px tahoma; COLOR: rgb(0,102,153); PADDING-TOP: 8px; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">Return of the bird flu threat</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Millions of livelihoods at risk

?The poultry industry has been registering 20 percent growth over the last few years - the fastest growth rate for any industry in the country,? said Monjur Morshed Khan, treasurer of the Bangladesh Poultry Owners? Association.

Over 5 million people earn their livelihoods from the country?s 150,000 commercial poultry farms, he explained.

Added to that are another 7.5 million households which maintain small backyard coops that provide almost 70 percent of the country?s annual chicken output.

?All these are threatened by the flu,? warned a clearly anxious Khan, citing a marked drop in poultry product sales.

According to Mesbahuddin Ahmed, a veterinarian in Bangladesh?s central Gazipur District - often referred to as the poultry capital of the country and home to over 5,000 poultry farms - the impact is already being felt.

?Many poultry farms and hatcheries have been closed down. If we fail to prevent [a] bird flu pandemic then this promising industry might face collapse,? Ahmed warned.

?Our resources are limited. We need more trained personnel, more testing laboratories and more personal protective equipment to more effectively control the disease,? he explained.

<TABLE style="BORDER-RIGHT: #bbbbbb 1px solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5px; BORDER-TOP: #cccccc 1px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; MARGIN: 2px 5px 8px 0px; BORDER-LEFT: #cccccc 1px solid; WIDTH: 180px; PADDING-TOP: 5px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #bbbbbb 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #eeeeee" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 3px" align=right>
Photo: Shamsuddin Ahmed/IRIN </TD></TR><TR><TD class=ImgCreditCaption style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">The remains of several crows and a chicken that reportedly died of bird flu lie in the open in Chittagong, Bangladesh </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Criticism of government policy

Khan criticised the culling process now taking place and the way compensation was being paid to affected farmers, hinting at possible corruption.

?All the culling is done at night. The rate and process of payment of compensation are not transparent either,? he said, citing allegations of manipulation in the number of culled birds and the amount of compensation given to owners.

At present, the government?s compensation rate for each full grown chicken is US$1 for commercial farms and $1.20 for backyard poultry.

Scientists express concern

Meanwhile, scientists have also expressed concern over the lack of effective measures being taken to stem the virus?s spread.

?We are not very sure if the flies that feed on dead birds are capable of carrying the virus to our homes. If they do, we are in a great danger,? said Habibur Rahman of Bangladesh Agricultural University in Mymensingh.

Rahman is worried about the disposal of poultry faeces, particularly at smaller rural backyard farms and coops.

?The H5N1 virus is spread through nasal and oral secretion and faeces of sick birds. There is no generally followed practice of disposal of chicken waste in our culture. Chicken faeces are not safely disposed [of],? he said.

Still another concern is what is done with the bodies of chickens that die. Most dead backyard poultry are simply thrown into neighbouring ditches, ponds or rivers, meaning the carcasses can spread the disease elsewhere, the academic said.

More public awareness needed

Such factors underscore the importance of a larger nationwide mass media campaign to boost public awareness.

?They [people] should be repeatedly told about the disposal of dead birds, hygienic disposal of chicken faeces, reporting sick and dead birds to local veterinarians. They should be told not to touch dead birds, to wash hands properly and often, keep courtyards clean and separate home chickens from wild or broiler ones,? he said.

<TABLE style="BORDER-RIGHT: #bbbbbb 1px solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5px; BORDER-TOP: #cccccc 1px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; MARGIN: 2px 5px 8px 0px; BORDER-LEFT: #cccccc 1px solid; WIDTH: 180px; PADDING-TOP: 5px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #bbbbbb 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #eeeeee" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 3px" align=right>
Photo: David Swanson/IRIN </TD></TR><TR><TD class=ImgCreditCaption style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">More than 500,000 chickens have been culled so far</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Abdul Mannan, director-general of the Department of Mass Communication, said that over 200 of its district level staff, including district information officers, were already working to do just that, particularly with backyard farmers, most of them women.

?In the remote villages, our announcers are using megaphones to announce instructions. All of them have been trained earlier by UNICEF [the UN Children?s Fund],? he said, conceding, however, that more trained and dedicated manpower was needed.

State-owned Bangladesh TV and a dozen or so private cable TV channels occasionally broadcast programmes on avian influenza, but most observers say they have yet to have the necessary impact.

No human cases so far

At present, some 180 people who worked at H5N1-affected farms - including those government officials involved in the culling of sick birds - are now being monitored by health experts at various hospitals in the country, although to date none have tested positive for the virus.

Moreover, people living in close proximity to sick birds and who later showed symptoms of either fever or flu were also being closely watched, however, no human infection has been found, health experts at Bangladesh?s Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research said.

sa/ds/cb

Just a moment...

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=76602

**Treyfish** · February 6, 2008, 08:27 PM

Re: BANGLADESH: Return of the bird flu threat

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" bgColor=#3366cc border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=updatetime align=middle>Thursday, February 7, 2008 07:18 AM GMT+06:00 </TD><TD class=volnum align=right width=100></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=60> </TD><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=newspath></TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=4 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=newsdetails vAlign=top>

Click here for Printer Friendly Version
Front Page

No reason to panic, though bird flu spreading
Says Samaddar
Unb, Dhaka

<TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 width=200 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD class=osdn-navtext>

Traders in Sripur Market of Gazipur pack unsafe chickens in sacks with bare hands, for sending them to the capital, despite the country being rocked by a bird flu scare. Photo: STAR

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for Fisheries and livestock Manik Lal Samaddar yesterday said although the bird flu has been spreading, there is no reason to be panicked.

"We are trying to keep the situation under control. We have taken all-out measures to prevent spread of the avian influenza virus," he told a press briefing at his ministry.

So far 4,61,311 chickens, ducks and pigeons from 179 poultry farms in the country have been culled since March 2007.

He said the government has increased the amount of compensation for culled chicken, and Tk 1.27 crore has so far been distributed among the affected poultry farm owners.

The affected owners will now get Tk 95 instead of the earlier rate of Tk 80 for a chicken, of local variety, Tk 90 instead of Tk 70 for a broiler chicken aged over 12 weeks, and Tk 20 instead of Tk 15 for a chick.

Samaddar said people have to be aware about the bird flu and they will have to ensure their own bio-security measures. He said instructions were given to city corporations and municipalities to ensure bio-security.

He said the virus remains active during the winter but it gradually disappears during the summer.

Prof Mahmudur Rahman, director at the Health Directorate, said there is no risk of eating chickens or eggs if they are full boiled.

He said those who will cut or cook chickens will have to wash hands with soap or detergent which destroys the virus.

Our staff correspondent from Chittagong reports: A poultry farmer allegedly dumped around 6,000 dead chickens at a canal and a pond near his farm at Kuwaish Burischar over the last three days.

Local authorities suspect the poultry have died from bird flu infection.

Locals discovered the mess after the odour of dead animals spread all around the locality. The dead chickens had been tied up in sacks and then dumped in the canal and pond. Dead crows were also found floating on the water bodies.

When contacted, Mohammad Ali, owner of Aziza Poultry Farm confessed that he had dumped 1500 dead chickens from his farm. He however denied any knowledge of the remaining chickens found in the water.

Chittagong Deputy Commissioner Ashraf Shamim said he had sent a team to the spot to investigate the matter and arrange for all the dead birds to be buried properly.

He also said that action would be taken against the poultry owner if he were found to have secretly dumped the infected chickens instead of taking proper steps to bury the dead carcasses of the fowls.

Over 13,000 chickens have died of bird flu infection while another 3,000 infected chickens were culled in the last three days in the district.

The local administration, culled around 3,000 fowls at the Karnaphuli Poultry and Hatchery at city's Bakalia area on Tuesday night soon after the infection was confirmed through relevant tests.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=22314</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

**AlaskaDenise** · February 6, 2008, 10:01 PM

Re: BANGLADESH: Return of the bird flu threat

Originally posted by niman View Post

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/02...w_Concern.html

Commentary

H5N1 Confirmed Crows Cause Pandemic Concerns

Recombinomics Commentary 12:47
February 6, 2008

Dozens of dead crows found over the past two days in Dhaka have tested positive for the H5N1 strain of bird flu.

In Chittagong, officials confirmed the spread of bird flu in several farms and also in crows that tested positive for the strain.

Meanwhile our Rajshahi correspondent reports that hundreds of crows have been dying in the city without any apparent cause.

About a hundred crows were found dead just outside the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) compound on Sunday. Locals fear that the birds might have died of bird flu infection.

The above comments described recent crow deaths in multiple locations in Bangladesh. The crows in Dhaka, that caused panic yesterday, have been confirmed. In Chittagong, the crows were confirmed yesterday, but now H5N1 has been confirmed in nearby farms. The dead crows in Rajshahi are on the border with West Bengal (see satellite map here and here).

Earlier reports had also described H5N1 positive crows in additional regions in Bangladesh, including over a thousand in Danajpur in Rajshani, which is also near the West Bengal border.

The dead crows highlight difficulties in controlling the spread of H5N1, since they can fly across sealed borders and spread H5N1 into adjacent regions. They also signal H5N1 in the region, as seen in the Chittagong metropolitan area.

Although the crows have been confirmed in multiple areas of Bangladesh, including regions bordering West Bengal, India has yet to confirm H5N1 in any of the dead wild and migratory birds found in association with confirmed H5N1 in poultry.

The widespread H5N1 in poultry and wild birds, including major urban areas, remain causes for concern.

.

**Gert van der Hoek** · February 7, 2008, 02:55 AM

Re: BANGLADESH: Return of the bird flu threat

Bangladesh raises compensation as bird flu spreads

07 Feb 2008

Source: Reuters

DHAKA, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Bird flu has spread to another district in Bangladesh, taking the number of affected districts to 39, officials said on Thursday, as the government increased compensation to farmers for culled poultry in an effort to control the outbreak.

"We are trying to keep the situation under control. We have taken all-out measures to prevent spread of the avian influenza virus," Manik Lal Samaddar, a senior livestock and fisheries ministry official, told reporters.

He said the interim government had raised the amount of compensation for poultry farmers to encourage them to report and kill sick birds.

The affected farmer will now receive 95 taka ($1.39) instead of 80 taka ($1.17) for a chicken, of local variety, and 20 taka instead of 15 taka for a chick.

Officials say the government is also considering scrapping restrictions that offer farmers compensation for up to 5,000 culled chickens only.

Bird flu was first detected in Bangladesh at a poultry farm near the capital last March, but so far has not infected humans in the densely populated nation of more than 140 million people.

The virus has spread to more than half the South Asian country's 64 districts partly due to a lack of awareness.Health workers have been seen burying dead birds without any protective gear, covering their face only with handkerchiefs.

Touching or eating sick poultry can lead to infection by the H5N1 virus that has killed more than 220 people globally since late 2003.

The virus has forced nearly half a million birds to be culled acorss the country.

A poultry farmer dumped around 6,000 dead chickens at a canal near his farm in the port city of Chittagong, local officials said. Dead crows were also found floating in water.

(Reporting by Ruma Paul; Editing by Katie Nguyen)

Thomson Reuters: Clarifying the complex

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/DHA277289.htm

Thomson Reuters empowers professionals with cutting-edge technology solutions informed by industry-leading content and expertise.

**HenryN** · February 7, 2008, 09:59 AM

Re: BANGLADESH: Return of the bird flu threat

Bird Flu Related Information up to 06 February, 2008

1. No. of Farms with confirmed H5 Virus 121
2. No. of Districts with Confirmed H5 Virus 38
(Upzilla-62, Metro Thana-08)

( Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayangonj, Tangail, Jamalpur, Jessore, Noakhali, Gaibandha, Magura, Rajbari, Nilphamari, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Jaipurhat, Lalmonirhat, Thakurgaon, Naogaon, Bagura, Feni, Pabna, Kurigram, Moulvibazar, Barisal, Rajshahi, Barguna, Natore, Patuakhali, Netrokona, Bhola, Khulna, Manikgonj, Gopalgonj, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Kustia, Jhinaidah, Norsingdhi, Bagerhat)

3. No. of Culled Farms 202

(Dhaka-33 (Savar-26, Turagh-01, Demra-01, Mirpur-03, Shabujbagh-01, Lalbagh-01), Gazipur-05, Jamalpur-05, Narayangonj-10, Tangail-01, Jessore-11, Noakhali-01, Gaibandha-04, Magura-01, Rajbari-03, Nilphamari-10, Dinajpur-21, Rangpur-06, jaipurhat-04, Lalmonirhat-04, Thakurgaon-02, Naogaon-02, Bagura-01, Feni-05, Pabna-03, Kurigram-01, Moulvibazar-01, Barisal-02, Barguna-16, Rajshahi-03, Natore-01, Patuakhali-01, Netrokona-01, Bhola-08, Manikgonj-03, Mymensingh-03, Gopalgonj-01, Khulna-03, Sylhet-01, Jhinaidah-03, Kustia-01, Norsingdhi-19, Bagerhat-02)

4. Culled on 06/02/2008 __

5. Culling up to 06/02/2008 4, 94, 370

404 Not Found

http://www.mofl.gov.bd/daily_birdflu_report.pdf

**HenryN** · February 7, 2008, 10:24 AM

Re: BANGLADESH: Return of the bird flu threat

The above list has a jump in farms culled from a day earlier:
Rangur 1
Norshingdhi 17
Feni 1
Mouvibazar 2
Barguna 2
Bagerhat 2

**HenryN** · February 7, 2008, 10:57 AM

Re: BANGLADESH: Return of the bird flu threat

Updated map

H5N1 India 2008 - Google My Maps

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&om=0&t=h&msa=0&msid=106484775090296685271.0004353ecc9cb8856de8c&num=200&start=200&ll=23.825551,88.703613&spn=4.501498,10.030518&z=7

India H5N1 in 2008 and recent outbreaks in adjacent regions of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar

**HenryN** · February 7, 2008, 01:46 PM

Re: BANGLADESH: Return of the bird flu threat

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/02070801/H5N1_Bangladesh_Culling.html

**HenryN** · February 7, 2008, 05:08 PM

Re: BANGLADESH: Return of the bird flu threat

<TABLE class=maintable1 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="90%" align=center border=0 valign="top"><TBODY><TR><TD class=column2 vAlign=top><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width="100%">Dhaka blames India for bird flu spread</ARTTITLE>
8 Feb 2008, 0202 hrs IST,Kounteya Sinha,TNN

SMS NEWS to 58888 for latest updates
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>NEW DELHI: In the case of illegal immigration into India, Bangladesh's response has always been a flat denial. With regard to the bird flu ravaging West Bengal it is one better: Not only does Dhaka see no link with the infected poultry, it is actually arguing that illegally procured birds from India spread the flu in Bangladesh.

Far from being willing to consider whether the traffic of infected poultry which ended up in small pens in West Bengal might have triggered the bird flu leading to culling of lakhs of birds, Bangladesh officials claimed that the traffic was one way ? from India into Bangladesh.

Bangladesh fishing and livestock secretary Syed Ataur Rehman told TOI from Dhaka that the government had taken exception to public statements made by some Indian politicians that the virus came to India through illegal poultry trade from Bangladesh. He said: "Such allegations are unfair. Actually, poultry is illegally brought into Bangladesh by Indians and not the other way round. We have lodged an official protest with India's MEA over such public comments." Senior Indian officials monitoring the flu point out that there could, indeed, be a two-way trade in poultry.

But they are stumped by the claim that it in only India that is the source of infected birds in Bangladesh. Besides officials in West Bengal, Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar had said that the H5N1 virus that has infected 13 districts of Bengal entered from Bangladesh.

India had made a formal request to the Bangladesh government to share the genetic history and information of its virus.

Health secretary Naresh Dayal had told TOI : "If we see that the virus circulating in Bengal is the same as the Bangladeshi type, we can almost be certain that illegal trade of infected poultry from Bangladesh into India was the cause of the present outbreak."

On another count, Bangladesh is being more cooperative. The genetic sequencing of the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza strain, that is currently wreaking havoc in Bangladesh, has been completed and the eastern neighbour is willing to share the data with India.

It, however, has one condition: that India, in a reciprocal gesture, allow Bangladesh to study the genetic details of the H5N1 virus strain that hit Maharashtra, Manipur and is presently wreaking havoc in West Bengal. Rahman admitted that the genetic sequencing of the virus, that has been circulating in Bangladesh since March 2007, had been completed by the OIE Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza in Weybridge, UK.

In reaction, India's animal husbandry secretery Pradeep Kumat told TOI : "India is willing to share virus samples with Bangladesh."

Adding that Bangladesh's foreign ministry has already communicated this to India's external affairs ministry, Rahman said that a joint secretary level officer, Parikhit Dutta Ray, has been appointed as a liaison officer in Dhaka to especially deal with India's requests, including setting up joint monitoring teams, sharing virus information and control and containment operations.

Dhaka blames India for bird flu spread | India News - Times of India

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-2765576,prtpage-1.cms

India News: Bangladesh has argued that illegally procured poultry from India led to the bird flu outbreak and not from its own birds as claimed by New Delhi.

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Announcement

Bangladesh: Bird Flu in ANIMALS/POULTRY Feb/6/2008-Feb/28/2008

Bangladesh: Bird Flu in ANIMALS/POULTRY Feb/6/2008-Feb/28/2008

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