A contagious livestock disease known as Peste des petits ruminants (PPR), commonly referred to as goat plague, causing widespread distress and financial losses to farmers in Tarash of Sirajganj. Reports reveal that a devastating 25 goats have succumbed to this ailment within just one week.
Alarming as the situation is, aggrieved farmers have voiced their frustrations regarding the perceived inaction of the Upazila Livestock Office in combating the outbreak effectively. These farmers contend that the authorities have failed to take the necessary measures to prevent the disease's further spread.
Local sources disclosed that Lovely Khatun from Khola Bariya Mohalla in Upazila Municipality, Chayat Ali, Babul Hossain from Bri-Panchan village in Tarash Sadar Union, Nurul Islam, Bulbul Hossain, Liton, Ali, Abdus Salam, and Jahangir Hossain from Silot village in Talam Union all suffered substantial losses as 25 goats perished due to PPR. These grim figures underscore the severity of the situation.
A pair of affected farmers, Abdul Khalek from Ulipur village and Rini Khatun from Majhira village, shared their unfortunate experiences. They took their ailing goats to the Upazila Livestock Department and the veterinary hospital, only to be informed that their animals had not received the necessary vaccinations. To make matters worse, these farmers were told to purchase medicine for their goats, each costing approximately Tk 500.
Sajeda Khatun from Betrashin village in Madhainagar union recounted her struggles, stating, "I've been raising goats for several years, but the animal husbandry office has never provided us with vaccinations against this deadly disease. I went to the hospital and returned empty-handed. Many of the deceased goats were young, and their loss has imposed a heavy financial burden on us."
In response to these accusations, Upazila Animal Resources Officer Wali-ul Islam denied any negligence, citing manpower shortages. He claimed that over 65,000 goats and sheep in the upazila had been vaccinated between September 30 and October 9 under the PPR viral disease eradication and scurvy disease control project, with one volunteer allocated for each union.
Dr. Habibur Rahman, Sirajganj District Livestock Officer, emphasized the severity of PPR, describing the symptoms: "Goats and sheep afflicted by this disease excrete fluids from their noses and mouths and develop painful sores in their mouths, causing them to abstain from eating." Dr. Rahman also acknowledged the possibility of oversight in the vaccination process, assuring the public that measures would be taken to vaccinate the remaining susceptible goats and enhance disease containment efforts following a thorough inquiry.
