Our Correspondent . Barisal
People of the Harijan community in Barisal have already started killing and eating their pigs beforehand fearing an anti-swine flu drive that might cull the animals.
There are six colonies of the Harijans, people of lower chaste, like cleaners and sweepers, in the Barisal city.
About 250 members of 75 families reside at the Harijan colonies, locally known as ‘Methor Patty’ or ‘Dom Patty’ at Nazirer Pol, Falpatty, Katpatty, Marok Khola, Kawnia Janoki Sen Road and Amir Kutir, in densely populated areas of the city.
Of the six Harijan colonies, three are at Marok Khola, Kawnia Janoki Sen Road and Amir Kutir, where they domestically raise pigs, mainly for own consumption and business.
Although the local Livestock Department office does not know the exact number of pigs raised by the Harijans, different sources said there are at least 500 pigs, hogs, boar, swine and porkers in these areas.
Following media report on detection of swine flu cases in the country, some of the Harijans hid their pig herds in fear of anti-swine flu drive by the health or livestock authorities and some started killing the domestic animals for consumption, sources said.
Babulal, a resident of Kawnia Harijan Patty, said, ‘We do not now anything about swine flu, but we are in fear of possible
anti-swine flu drive anytime.’
Residents of the Harijan colonies further said rearing of pigs is the part of their traditional, religious, economic and cultural life.
‘We eat pork, sacrifice pigs in our religious, social and cultural rituals and sell them at high prices to those who are in pork business,’ said Munna Dom, secretary of the local Harijan Sampraday.
‘Every year, after the breeding season, we collect herds of 10 to 12 young pigs or porkers from the Harijan Pallis in Faridpur, Madaripur, Rajbari, Tekerhut and Jessore at the rate of Tk30,000 to 35,000 each. After rearing, we sell the mature pigs at Tk 12,000 to 15,000 each ,’Munna said further. ‘We are engaged with the pig business traditionally, but never such a scare as swine flu has hit our trade before.’ he added.
Dr Harunur Rashid, divisional health director, Dhirendranath Sardar, director of Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, and Mrinal Kanti Mitra, scientific officer of Barisal livestock disease centre and laboratory, said that there is nothing to be afraid of so much as yet as no one in the country has been diagnosed with swine flu virus so far, other than those who came from abroad.
Mrinal Kanti said, ‘Although we have no swine flu testing kit or lab facilities, there is no reason as yet to suspect existence of swine flu virus in the pig herds of the local Harijans as they haven’t come from the counties attacked with the disease.’
‘However, the situation is now under out close observation,’ the added.
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