Bird flu threatens Bangladesh poultry industry, livelihoods

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.

8 Feb 2008

Health workers spray a poultry farm in Chittagong, Bangladesh's second largest city. (Image: Shamsuddin Ahmed/IRIN)

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.

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