Staff Correspondent: The "Bangladesh Poultry Respiratory Health Summit," a vital technical seminar addressing the critical biosecurity and economic challenges facing the nation's poultry sector, was successfully held on Saturday (13 June) at The Westin Dhaka.
Jointly organized by global industry leader Kemin and Rafique Medicine, a sister concern of RRP Group, the event focused heavily on integrated risk management strategies against emerging disease threats that compromise animal welfare and farm profitability.
The summit comes at a crucial juncture for Bangladesh's poultry industry. In the current context, farmers are increasingly pushed to the brink by the sudden emergence of novel respiratory pathogens. These rising disease complexities have led to escalating mortality rates across poultry flocks, causing significant financial losses for farmers and posing a challenge to the country's protein security.
To address these vulnerabilities, the event featured a distinguished lineup of international speakers, including Professor Dr. Jiroj Sasipreeyajan (Emeritus Professor, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand), Dr. Jayaraman Krishnarajan (Veteran Poultry Consultant, India), and Dr. Abdullah Makahleh (Global Technical Service Manager, Kemin Biologics, Jordan).
During the technical sessions, Professor Dr. Jiroj Sasipreeyajan delivered an in-depth presentation on “2026 Poultry Respiratory Disease Update: Infectious Bronchitis (IBV) and Emerging Challenges,” highlighting the evolving nature of respiratory diseases and the growing challenges posed by Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV) in modern poultry production systems.
Dr. Jayaraman Krishnarajan presented on “The Interplay Between IBH and Respiratory Diseases in the South Asian Poultry Industry,” where he discussed the complex relationship between Inclusion Body Hepatitis (IBH) and respiratory disease outbreaks, emphasizing the need for integrated disease monitoring and prevention strategies across the region.
Meanwhile, Dr. Abdullah Makahleh shared Kemin’s global experience through his presentation on “Kemin Expertise Driving Effective Poultry Respiratory Disease Control,” showcasing innovative approaches and scientifically proven solutions for strengthening respiratory health and improving flock performance.
The speakers also shared advanced insights on modern vaccination strategies, the critical link between gut and respiratory health, and the growing importance of data-driven farm management practices. Throughout the sessions, they emphasized that while the current disease landscape is highly challenging, it remains manageable through the adoption of science-based interventions and proactive disease prevention measures.
The program was conducted by Dr. Sohail Al Mahmud, Senior Manager-Sales, Kemin Biologics Bangladesh, and Dr. Sukanto Bhowmik, Marketing Manager, Rafique Medicine, who also anchored the technical sessions and facilitated interactions between the speakers and participants.
The program commenced with a welcome address by Dr. Md. Maniruzzaman, General Manager, RRP Agro Farms & Rafique Medicine. Dr. Muhammad Gulam Murshed, Associate General Manager–Sales, Kemin Bangladesh, also addressed the audience.
The panel of experts expressed strong optimism that if local farmers strictly follow scientific guidelines, modernize their biosecurity protocols, and seek timely professional consultation, Bangladesh’s poultry industry will successfully overcome these challenges and achieve its targeted growth trajectory.
In the closing session, Md. Azmal Hossain, Director (Marketing), RRP Group, delivered the closing remarks. He emphasized the importance of continuous knowledge-sharing, strengthened biosecurity practices, and collaboration among industry stakeholders to safeguard the future growth of Bangladesh’s poultry sector.
Local poultry specialists, veterinarians, feed industry professionals, and entrepreneurs who attended the summit highly praised the initiative. They noted that the timely, practical, and highly relevant insights shared by the international experts would serve as an effective roadmap for strengthening farm resilience, protecting poultry health, and ensuring the sustainable future of Bangladesh’s poultry economy.
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