Azizul Islam looks hapless as criminals poisoned to death around 1500 chickens at his farm at Tupamuri Fakirpara village in Nilphamari Sadar upazila Wednesday night. PHOTO: STAR

Miscreants poisoned to death 1500 chickens of a farm in Nilphamari Sadar upazila while a devastating fire killed 4500 chickens of another farm in Parbatipur upazila of Dinajpur on Wednesday night.

Around 1500 chickens worth about Tk 5 lakh died in the poultry farm of Azizul Islam at Tupamari Fakirpara village in Nilphamari Sadar on Wednesday night, reports our Nilphamari correspondent.

Azizul, 47, said he set up the poultry farm beside his house one year ago with loan from Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank.

"I went to the farm to feed the fowl yesterday morning but found that all 1500 layer chickens there dead as someone fed them poison mixed feed last night," Azizul told this correspondent during his visit there yesterday noon.

A large number of dead chickens were lying in the farm amid odour of poison spreading from there.

"I suspect that my neighbour Badrul Ali, 45, committed this heinous act as there is a land dispute between us and he implicated me in a false case.

A few days ago, the two rivals engaged in a scuffle and Badrul openly threatened to take revenge on Azizul that time, said locals.

"Some of the layer chickens in the farm had already started laying eggs and by selling it I managed to repay first instalment of the bank loan a few days ago. But all the hopes are ruined now. How can I repay the loan?” Azizul said in a chocked voice.

Using litter of the poultry farm, Azizul also set up a biogas plant to get fuel for family requirement, said Mosirat Ali Shah Fakir, chairman of local Tupamari union parishad said.

Contacted, Badrul Ali denied the allegation against him and said, "Azizul himself poisoned chickens in his farm to make me fall in an odd position."

Sadar upazila livestock officer Rezaul Hasan said he conducted autopsy of several dead chickens of the farm and became sure that the birds died due to serious poisoning.

Azizul was preparing to file a case with the local police station accusing Badrul and three others in the afternoon.

Our Dinajpur correspondent reports: At least 4500 chickens of a poultry farm were burnt alive in a fire at Namapara village in Parbatipur upazila under the district on Wednesday night.

The fire caused damage worth Tk 10 lakh.

The fire broke out at the poultry farm of Sohel Rana at Namapara village around 9:30pm on Wednesday and it rapidly engulfed the entire farm, said police and fire brigade officials in the upazila.

Later, the fire fighters doused the fire.

Farm owner Sohel Rana claimed that somebody set fire to his farm out of enmity.