Bangladesh will commercially produce vaccines against avian influenza and goat pox developed by the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammad Aminur Rashid has said.

The vaccines were formally handed over to the Department of Livestock Services at a ceremony at the ministry in Dhaka on Tuesday, according to a statement.

Describing livestock as a vital part of the agricultural economy, the minister warned that uncontrolled diseases could cause major financial losses for farmers.

 “Diseases such as avian influenza can have a major impact on poultry production and farm management. It is therefore crucial to strengthen our capacity to develop and produce effective vaccines locally,” he said.

He said the vaccines, developed through domestic research and technology, would help control diseases, reduce production costs and cut reliance on imports.

 “Once an innovation is completed in a laboratory, its full benefits cannot be realised unless it reaches ordinary people. So the priority now is to take research-based innovations to commercial production and ensure their use by farmers,” he said.

State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salahuddin Tuku said local vaccine production would reduce import dependence and move Bangladesh towards self-sufficiency.

 “The more self-sufficient we become in producing medicines and vaccines, the lower production costs will be, which will also affect the prices of food and livestock products,” he said.