Researchers have been frightened after separately examining blood, meat, bone, liver, brain and skin of chickens which were fed poultry-fish feed. The results are available in tests after feeding this feed to the chickens for one month at the first instalment and for another month in the second instalment. Maximum quantity of chromium was found from the brain of these chickens. The maximum tolera
nce rate of chromium in human body is 25 PPM or microgram per day. If it exceeds this limit, at one stage , fatal diseases will be created. But in the tests, in the brains of chickens taking these feeds for one month 799 PPM chromium was found in per kg chicken brain while 4561 PPM chromium was found in chicken taking feeds for two months. Besides, 244 PPM and 344 PPM respectively in meat, 557 and 328 in skin respectively, 1011 and 1990 respectively in bone, 570 and 611 respectively in liver and 718 and 792 PPM chromium respectively in blood were found. Research paper has stated that this level is intolerable for human body. Top level International Research Magazine IGCSIE IERD published a research paper in this regard in August. The research was done by Dhaka University Chemistry department Professors Abul Hossain and Jubayer Hasan. Prof Abul Hossain said, “During the research, we have fed chickens these feeds bought from poultry feed factories in Fulbaria, Bangbazar, Chnkhar Pool area of the capital and the poultry feed of tannery area in Hazaribagh. Besides, we have got 14 thousand milligram chromium per kg from testing the hides and spraying chromium for preserving tannery hides. Similarly, 800 microgram chromium has been found in each kg of poultry fish-feed produced from tannery wastes.” Chemists said the toxic chromium above tolerance level is entering into the human body by eating chicken and egg. The chicken and eggs are normally boiled at 150-200 degree heat but the effect of toxic chromium cannot be nullified without boiling it at 2,700 degree heat. The presence of toxic chemicals is found in the fishes produced in the hatcheries. A study of Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations titled ‘Improving Food Safety of Bangladesh’ shows the fishes are contaminated with toxic chemicals and antibiotic. Prof Dr. Shah Monir Hossain, Senior National Adviser of Improving Food Safety of Bangladesh and former Director General of Health Directorate told this correspondent, “If people take fishes and chickens, which contain high level of antibiotic and poisonous chemicals, the harmful chemicals will spread in human body.” A dangerous scenario has come out through an investigation conducted by Nutrition Unit of Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council recently. The research paper revealed that although some farms are not using poisonous food but most of the farms are using it. Utilising the process, revolution in fish culture has emerged in Bangladesh. In the same way, Bangladesh has been advancing in products of fishes and chicken. Country is meeting 70 to 80 percent nutrition demand from fish and meat. Prof Dr. Abul Kalam Azad, Additional Director General of Health Directorate said, “Various foods are needed to meet nutritional demand of the people. Some chemicals might be present there. But the main factor is the level of amount. It will bring harm for human body if the level of doze will reach in an intolerable level. So the people may affect by dangerous disease for taking poisonous foods. The main cause for spreading cancer, heart disease, kidney and liver ailment are unsecured food and chemically-treated food items. He also said, “According to WHO, the highest level of tolerable capacity of chromium in human body is 25 microgram everyday. But European Food Safety Authority prescribes 10 to 70 microgram for the adult and .2 to 15 microgram for the children. According to experts, country’s people are not getting secured food for meeting their nutritional demand. Dangerous poison has been spreading in human body from different foods prepared for fish and meat. Many farms are using poisonous chemical as feed for the fish and chicken. Also the owners of the farms are applying hormone and antibiotic to the fish and chicken which is harmful for human body. A research conducted by Dr Md Monirul Islam, Director of Nutrition Unit of Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council found 4,971.15 PPM chromium in per kg which is prepared for fish feed and 4,205.70 PPM chromium prepared to feed chicken. A mobile court with a special team of RAB conducted a move at the hatchery farm on Friday last. Dr Monirul Islam said, “During the examination we sometimes get such level of Chromium that is dangerous though its tolerable level is 25 PPM. We are now in a danger level in terms of getting nutrition due to Chromium-tainted fish and chicken or egg. This type of nutrition can also be termed as Poisonous Nutrition.” He said they confirmed about the poisonous chemical (excessive amount of Chromium and Lead) through two sample tests on feed of fish and chicken on November 27. Executive magistrate of RAB mobile court A H M Anwar Pasha said during a drive a mobile court of RAB instantly awarded two years jail sentence along with a fine of Tk 2 lakh each, or in default three months jail sentence to two persons for making poultry and fish feed using toxic chemicals of tannery at the factory of capital’s Hazaribag Beribadh area 42/8/KA Sonatongarh Hypo Feed factory. RAB-2 deputy director Dr Md Didarul Alam, who led the drive said RAB will continue its monitoring so that no one can make such toxic feed for poultry and fish in this area. The representative of Directorate of Livestock Dr Md Lutfar Rahman and others concerned were present. In the presence of magistrate and RAB, feed factory director Saiful said animal hides’ wastes are dried after boiling them in the roofs bringing from tannery. And those dried tannery wastes used to sell at Tk 17 per kg in the wholesale market. Sometimes those were prepared as the poultry feed after making power. Asked about the reason why such tannery wastes are used for the poultry feed, Saiful said the poultry feed prepared from tannery wastes is sold at Tk 30 per kg while poultry feed made from high quality food is sold at 45 per kg. Thus a section of farmer use the poultry or fish feed made from toxic wastes of tannery for earning extra profit. Sources related to tannery processing said nearly 20 kinds of chemicals predominantly chromium are used at various steps of processing tannery. Although the surface of the hides is even, inner side of it is not like that. The inner side is cut by machine to make it even. The fragments extracted and produced from it is used to make poultry feed. The extract is very much toxic for having high ratio of chromium which has detrimental effect on human health. It is learnt from Department of Environment (DoE) officials, around 21,600 cubic meter toxic effluents are discharged by the tanneries at Hazaribagh everyday. The toxic chemicals include chromium, sulfur and ammonium. A number of 60 factories are producing 30 tons of poultry feeds everyday to be supplied to the poultry and fisheries across the country. Health experts said chromium causes diseases including cancer, ulcer and kidney disease. Excessive level of chromium also causes impotency, premature birth, birth of disable children, asthma and skin disease. Besides, those who are involved in processing of these tannery wastes are very likely to be affected by these diseases. The captured manager of Hypo Feed factory Saiful said the factory owner Khalil himself was affected by cancer as result of working here for long time. Directorate of Livestock sources said not all chicken, eggs and fishes are harmful. The level of chromium is lower in chicken and fishes in the farms where high quality feed are used. A study conducted by Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) proved that many factories were established in the country where quality feed are produced. So, it is not right to generalise that all the chicken and fishes are harmful as people may get panicked and that could hamper the industry. The Executive Magistrate of mobile court AHM Anwar Pasha said increasing monitoring around the tannery adjacent areas to stop illegal activities, ensuring proper destruction of tannery wastes and ensuring tannery owners not to sell any tannery wastes can stop illegal activities of these businessmen.
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