Over 1,500 ducks die in one week

Over 1,500 ducks have died in the last one week due to outbreak of duck plague in Hatibandha upazila under the district.

With the death of ducks every day, farmers in the area fear a major setback this year.

The disease has mainly affected two educated unemployed youths who have already lost 1,500 out of 4,000 fowls in their farm at Dakkhin Gaddimari village in the upazila.

Two friends Asaduzzaman Rahman and Shah Zahurul Haque Mithu, who jointly started duck farming on a rented land about seven months ago, are now worried whether they would be able to recover their investment.

Mithu said they have already invested Tk 12 lakh for the purpose, including purchase of 4,000 fowls and poultry feeds, labourer cost and space rent in the last couple of months.

“About 2,000 ducks started laying eggs just two weeks ago but due to the outbreak of plague the production has stopped now,” he said.

Asaduzzaman said although their farm is only 200 metres from the upazila livestock office, they didn't get any support from the officer due to unknown reasons.

Upazila Livestock Officer Dr Babul Bishwas said there is no preventive vaccine or curative medicine for duck plague.