Birds die after feeding on crop field with excessive pesticide

A farmer used excessive pesticide on his lentil field which eventually left 31 birds dead at Jogatola in Pabna's Vangura upazila yesterday. The farmer in question begged pardon to the local administration with a formal undertaking that he would not do the same again.

Locals alleged that the influential farmer Md Golam Hossain of the village used excessive pesticide to save his crops on Saturday afternoon. Birds often come to the fields in search of food. Due to the excessive pesticide, many birds ended up dying, locals alleged.   

Golam Hossain, however, told journalists he did not intend to kill the birds. "I have used pesticide for saving the crop from pest attack," he claimed.

Md Enamul Haque, Vangura upazila agriculture officer told The Daily Star agriculture officials reached the spot after hearing about the incident yesterday.

"After visiting the spot, we came to know that the farmer used excessive pesticide for saving the field from bird attack," Enamul said.

The agriculture officials along with local livestock officers and local public representatives talked with the accused farmer yesterday. The man begged pardon giving undertaken to the local administration. 

Vangura Upazila Livestock officer Md Tofazzal Hossain said birds are part of nature and nobody has the right to kill birds without any reason.

"The accused farmer in his undertaking said that he will never repeat an act that will harm the environment. He was released after the undertaking and the poison from the field removed with water," Tofazzal said.

The birds were buried in the village and other farmers have been alerted so that nobody can do such a thing again.