'Launch awareness campaign about guest birds’

As part of the measures, the movement of migratory wild ducks carrying the avian virus will be monitored so that no-one gets close to those birds.

This was told at a seminar on 'Guest birds & bird flu and protection of public health' organised by the forest department and the Nature Conservation Committee in the city yesterday.

The participants of the seminar called for a massive awareness about the migratory birds and enforcement of the existing laws to check bird flu.

The environmentalists said at least three species of guest birds -- bar-feaded geese, black-headed gull and ruddy shell ducks -- are carrying the avian virus.

They warned that black-headed gulls may spread the virus as they stay in wetlands around human habitations. Last year, nearly 1,50,000 black-headed gulls arrived in Bangladesh during winter, the experts said.

The meeting decided to step up vigilance at different land, air and sea ports so that no virus-affected fowl can enter the country through import.

Forest and Environment Minister Tariqul Islam asked the officials concerned to identify the major places where the guest birds land and take precautionary measures on priority basis to prevent spread of bird flu.

Chairman of the Nature Conservation Committee Brigadier (Retd.) Sharif Uddin Ahmad presented a keynote paper.

State Minister for Environment Jafrul Islam Chowdhury, Secretary Jafar Ahmed Chowdhury, Secretary of the Fisheries and Livestock Ministry Abdul Karim, Chief Conservator of Forest Osman Gani and bio-diversity experts also spoke.