They expressed their apprehension at a seminar organised jointly by Brac, World Poultry Science Association (Wapsa) and Live Stock Department in Rajshahi yesterday.

The farm owners cautioned that any apathy on the part of government agencies in this regard might damage the entire poultry sector involving an investment of Tk 5000 crore and livelihood of 50 lakh people.

The country has around 1,50,000 poultry farms with an annual turnover of $750 million, said Wapsa Secretary Moshiur Rahman.

"Production of chicks have fallen from five million to four million per week following bird flu epidemic in different countries," he said.

SM Mahfuzur Rahman, owner of Sraboni Khamarbari, said, "Only few farms are engaged in smuggling suspected avian flu carriers, but the authorities are turning a blind eye to those elements."

Ragib Ahsan Munna, owner of a Dhaka poultry farm, said they suspect that Al Raji, Al Tawfik and Al Jami farms of Selim Enterprise are engaged in smuggling and it would be clear if their daily production capacity is examined.

Abdul Awal, owner of Rakib Farm, said smuggling is going on despite the government ban on the import of parent stock, chicks and eggs from 25 bird flu-hit countries including India as a precaution.

He asked border forces to crack down on the smuggling of poultry birds.

"Rajshahi is most vulnerable to bird flue as it is a close neighbour of India which is already infected by the fatal virus," Awal added.

Meanwhile, members of Bangladesh Rifles seized some 11,500 smuggled Indian chicks in Rajshahi on March 22, but customs officials sold those by auction at Tk 5.55 per piece against its actual price at Tk 30.

Natore police on March 31 seized 5,500 Indian chicks belonging to Al Jami farm and arrested three people in this connection,

According to Rajshahi BDR, Indian borders with Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj and Naogaon have been tightened following the outbreak of bird flu in India.

" There have so far been no reported outbreak of H5N1 virus in Bangladesh, but we are closely monitoring all poultry birds," said deputy director of health in Rajshahi.

The avian influenza virus has spread among the birds at an alarming rate in recent months sweeping through parts of Europe into Africa and flaring anew in Asia.

The virus has killed at least 105 people since it re-emerged in late 2003.