Epidemic killing ducks in Moulvibazar

The disease, new of its kind, took a heavy toll in the district recently. Lack of medicine and proper treatment facilities aggravated the situation.

According to local people and the Livestock Department, several hundred ducks were attacked with the disease in Alisharkul, Mirzapur, Srimongal, Ashidrone, Isabpur and Bharaura in Srimongal upazila.

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According to Srimongal Upazila Livestock Officer, the disease is completely a new one. Observing the symptoms of the disease they are providing treatment facilities but it did not yield satisfactory result, the officer said. He said that duck farm owners have become worried about their fate.

Sitesh Chandra Deb, a prominent duck farm owner told local journalists, over 100 ducks of his farm died of the disease.

According to veterinary physicians, after the attack, eyes of ducks swelled making them blind. The ducks did not take food and at one stage they died.

Moulvibazar district Livestock Departments officials said the vaccine of the new disease is yet to be manufactured.

Meanwhile, several hundred cattle died of cattle diseases during the last several weeks which broke out in an epidemic form in Borolekha upazila.

Local people said the disease broke out in different areas of Jayfarnagar, Bhukshimul, Paschim Juri, and Talimpur unions situated in Hakaluki haor areas in Boro-lekha, Juri and Kulaura upazilas.

According to Bhukshimul Union Parishad Chairman Siraj Uddin Ahmed Badshah, several hundred cattle including one of his buffaloe died of the disease.

Farmers in the affected areas also said they had lost many of their cattle due to lack of treatment facilities.

Meanwhile, an acute fodder crisis has been prevailing in the affected areas due to this year's prolonged flood. As a result, local farmers are compelled to feed their cattle rotten straw. This might be the cause of outbreak of the disease, farmers apprehended.