Massive number of crows dying in Rajshahi city

Around 50 crows died in different areas of Rajshahi city due to unknown reason in the last seven days.

Reports of dead crows at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) campus started from February 3 and some 17 crows were found dead near RMCH boundary wall on the next day, said Mizan Uddin, district livestock officer.

Another dead crow was found near the RMCH's Centre for Nuclear Medicine and Ultrasound premises yesterday.

Officials from icddr,b, Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research, Field Disease Investigation Laboratory of Joypurhat and Central Disease Investigation Laboratory, Dhaka visited the RMCH campus and collected samples of dead crows for examination, said Brig Gen AFM Rafiqul Islam, RMCH director.

Witnesses said some of the crows fell from the trees and died moments later. The dead crows were also found at Upashar Housing Estate, Shalbagan and roadside areas of Shaheb Bazar.

"We are now waiting for the laboratory results from Dhaka," said Dr Daulatana, principal scientific officer of Joypurhat's field diseases investigation laboratory.

"The deaths are alarming… such incidents create fear among people," said Saiful Islam, a teacher of Rajshahi Government College.

However, Brig Gen Rafiqul said there was no reason to panic as no person was affected yet.

Some of the locals told this correspondent that this had happened before, especially during the winter.