A nine-member team led by magistrate Israil Hossain culled the poultry birds following detection of bird flue (avian influenza) at the villages by the Livestock Department.

Earlier, a meeting of the Bird Flue Protection Committee was held at the conference room of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) on Sunday. The meeting decided to cull all the poultry birds immediately.

On contact, Additional District Livestock Officer Azharul Islam said the department detected existence of avian virus (bird flue virus) in dead bodies of chicken belonging to Sufia Bewa of Uttom union and Ekramul Hossain of Rajendrapur union. He said, 'We sent the dead bodies to Gaibandha laboratory first and then to Dhaka. After examination, the experts confirmed existence of bird flu virus.'

Rangpur DC Khandker Atiar Rahman said the poultry birds owners would be compensated in due course. He said, 'We are monitoring all poultry farms in the district. The poultry farm owners are asked to take all precautionary measures.'