Dhaka Bureau: Fisheries and Livestock Minister Sh. M. Rezaul Karim has emphasized the joint work of the SAARC countries to prevent animal diseases and implement One Health in the SAARC region.
The minister emphasized this in the opening session of the 8th meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Chief Veterinary Officers Forum at a hotel in the capital on Tuesday (October 10) morning. The Bangladesh Livestock Directorate is organizing the two-day meeting.
In his speech at the opening session, the Minister called upon the SAARC CVIOs Forum to initiate the establishment of a regional vaccine bank for the protection of animal health in the SAARC region.
At this time, the minister also said that the world has now become a global village. We are all working together for a better life. In today’s world, the concept of one health has been accepted as very important. We are working hard to protect human health, but we cannot forget animal health. Because humans and animals are related to each other in various ways, So the Bangladesh government is working strongly on One Health, especially human health as well as animal health protection.
He also said that the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, believes that in some cases, the treatment of animals is more important than the treatment of humans. Under his leadership, the Bangladesh government launched the first ever mobile veterinary clinic to ensure veterinary care. It is becoming possible to treat animals in remote areas through this mobile mini-hospital.
The minister also said that the SAARC CVO Forum is working as the highest platform for discussion on veterinary issues in the SAARC region, with a special focus on the prevention and control of transboundary animal diseases. This is very important. Any action of SAARC member countries in animal health protection will contribute to the animal protection of the whole world.
The minister emphasized developing more research and working together in the SAARC countries to prevent animal diseases and implement the One Health concept in the SAARC region. He also stressed strengthening mutual cooperation between SAARC countries in this regard.
The minister also added that animals travel from one country to another. Meat or other animal food may also be imported or exported from one country to another. If a country does not have effective measures to prevent animal diseases and protect animal health, diseases can spread from one country to another. Food safety can be at risk, especially because food that we get from animals can be dangerous for the human body. Keeping these issues in mind, the Bangladeshi government gives more importance to animal health protection than other sectors. Even in the remote areas of the country, the government has implemented animal disease prevention and veterinary measures. arrange training for those concerned with it. The country has established international-quality livestock testing laboratories.
The chief guest also said that Bangladesh’s goal is to achieve the status of a developed country by 2041. To meet this target, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock is working tirelessly to double the production of animal protein. For this, the Bangladesh government has taken various initiatives, including taking steps to control and eliminate economically important diseases through livestock breeding, vaccination, and biosecurity management. Today, we are self-sufficient in this sector, as the Bangladeshi government has given special importance to the livestock sector.
The current president of Cirque Chief Veterinary Officers Forum, Dr. Khalid Ashfaq, presided over the opening session as a special guest, as did Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Dr. Nahid Rashid. Director of SAARC Secretariat Jamal Uddin Ahmed gave a welcome speech in the session and thanked the Director General of the Animal Resources Department and Chief Veterinary Officer of Bangladesh, Dr. Md. Emdadul Haque Talukdar. Abdul Motaleb Sarkar, Director General of SAARC and the BIMSTEC Wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also gave a speech in the session.
Chief Veterinary Officers of SAARC countries, the World Organization for Animal Health, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, representatives of the SAARC Agricultural Center and SAARC Secretariat, and officials of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock and the Directorate of Livestock were present on this occasion.
