Baraitali Village is along the Bangshai River in Kaliakair Upazila of the district, where an expatriate has set up an organic poultry farm.
Generally in the poultry farms, different medicines are fed along with commercial feed. But herbal feed is applied in this farm. Sick hens are not treated with anti-biotic; instead chilli, neem leaf, vegetables, tulsi leaf, ginger, garlic, and other things are fed.
In this organic farm, temperature controlling system has been installed. Different technologies have been introduced. Along with, growth promoter, hormone and feed are produced by machines.
He is engineer Imrul Hasan. He earned good name in service as an engineer , and he had chance to become citizen of the UK. But leaving all opportunities, he returned from the UK in 2014. He has launched his farm for producing antibiotic-free poultry meat for people of the country.
Still there is no supervising system in safe meat production in the country. In commercial profiteering interest, country's poultry farms are using excessive antibiotic. It is damaging human disease capacities.
In this backdrop, his farm has appeared to break ground as safe protein provider.
Imrul Hasan said, at present there are about 4,000 hens in his farm. These are of broiler, colour bird and premium roaster species.
After being mature, getting online orders, these hens are supplied to house to house in Dhaka by freezing vehicles following Islamic norms.
Farm caretaker Monir Hossain said, breaking the ground was not shining in the beginning. "We started it in December in 2020. In first two batches, it was no problem. Then it was the winter season. Later the summer arrived. We got toppled down. All hens died. Huge investment got missed. Then Engineer sir was advised by all to apply antibiotic. But sir made no response."
Then a change came to his mind; if the temperature is maintained on the basis of age, death rate will come down, the caretaker added.
Later, after few months, bio-security system was introduced. Farm and surrounding areas are disinfected. Various technologies are introduced including automatic temperature controlling system. Now success started to come. The farm was made zero of antibiotic use. It is now on the expansion.
Under the expansion programme, 18 more bighas of land have been taken. On this land, hens will be reared in a natural way.
The meat production cost goes up in organic farms due to round the clock electricity use, good quality feed and vaccine. It requires 88 per cent much cost in broiler hens compared to normal farms and 68 per cent cost in farming colour birds. So market price stands higher.
Imrul Hasan obtained his post-graduation degree in CSE (Computer Science & Engineering) from BUET (Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology) in 2003. He continued a long time service in IT sector at home and abroad successfully. He did jobs in the UK, Egypt, the Philippines and United Arab Emirates. On return, he got engaged in ICT, tourism, and agriculture.
"Meat is very popular to new generations. But safe poultry is yet to grow in the country," he said.
"Due to reckless use of commercial feed and antibiotic, our lives are getting threatened", he further said, adding, producing safe meat through good system is at our hand, he added.
Now others are coming for his advice to raise organic farms. He is showing them ways too.
Gazipur District Livestock Officer Dr. Ukil Uddin said, "Our marginal farmers are using antibiotic. We ask for selling hens after 10 days of the last dose. If not, human bodies will be harmed. "
He further said, in different ways, the government is trying to oversee these. "Zero antibiotic is truly good, or 100 per cent organic."
Courtesy: The Daily Observer