The illegal entry of livestock across the border will be completely banned from Monday (5 May), Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter has said.

The adviser spoke at a press conference at the Secretariat on Sunday (4 May) after a meeting on assessing demand for sacrificial animals, supply, and ensuring their free movement and transport across the country, including remote areas, ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.

She said that, in line with the decision of that day's inter-ministerial meeting, law enforcement agencies, the BGB, Bangladesh Police, the Coast Guard, district administrations and district livestock offices would work together in the border districts to stop livestock entering illegally. "From today, the illegal entry of livestock is completely banned. Law enforcement agencies will take strict legal action on this."

Farida Akhter said the joint cooperation of law enforcement agencies (the BGB and Bangladesh Police), district administrations and district livestock offices would be sought to prevent the hijacking of trucks carrying sacrificial animals and keep their transport smooth.

"A control room (hotline 16358) will run at the Department of Livestock Services for this. If anyone calls about any problem, action will be taken."

The livestock adviser said the district authorities concerned would also be asked to ensure that no markets are set up on highways or anywhere they could disrupt traffic.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.