A Tk134 crore government-funded research project to assess the commercial potential of ostrich farming in Bangladesh has come under scrutiny after 15 of the 22 ostriches imported for the study were slaughtered and three others died, with no major research breakthrough publicly reported after the project's completion.
The ostriches were imported from Africa in two phases in 2020 under the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute's (BLRI) "Strengthening Poultry Research and Development" project, launched in the 2019-20 fiscal year.
According to BLRI, seven juvenile ostriches were brought in initially, followed by another 15. The research aimed to determine whether ostriches could adapt to Bangladesh's climate, breed successfully and offer a commercially viable alternative source of meat to beef and mutton.
At the project's launch, officials said ostriches could adapt well to local conditions. They also claimed an adult bird could weigh between 100kg and 150kg and produce as much meat as two indigenous cattle, creating prospects for commercial farming.
However, the project has ended without any publicly known commercial success or significant research outcome.
BLRI records show that 15 ostriches were slaughtered in phases to evaluate meat quality and taste, while three died during the research period. Although institute records say four birds remain, only two have reportedly been seen regularly in the designated enclosure.
The scale of the slaughter has raised concerns among researchers, who questioned whether it was scientifically and ethically justified.
Professor Dr Kamrul Hasan of Jahangirnagar University's Department of Zoology said ostriches are not native to Bangladesh and adapting them to the country's environment would be difficult.
"Even if slaughtering the birds was part of the research protocol, the necessity of culling such a large number should have been carefully assessed before the project began," he said.
Khandaker Touhidul Islam, who completed a PhD on ostriches under the supervision of project director Dr Sazedul Karim at Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, said research does not always produce successful results.
"As ostriches are not native to this climate, meaningful results would require multiple phases of research rather than a single project," he said.
On the slaughter of the birds, Touhidul said the meat was used for taste evaluation as part of the study but declined to comment further, saying the project director was in a better position to explain.
Repeated attempts to contact project director and BLRI Chief Scientific Officer Dr Sazedul Karim for comment, both at his office and by phone, were unsuccessful.
The project has also been dogged by allegations of nepotism and irregularities. Complainants allege that Karim involved close relatives, including his wife, in the project and abused his authority in recruitment and fellowship allocation. His response to the allegations could not be obtained.
BLRI Acting Director General Dr Shakila Faruk said the research was intended to assess the ostriches' adaptability, feeding behaviour and meat quality under Bangladeshi conditions.
"Some ostriches were slaughtered as part of the research," she said, adding that the project director would be better placed to explain the details.
The controversy follows earlier allegations that 38 research cockerels were slaughtered and consumed in 2023 despite initial claims that they had been stolen. Although an investigation was conducted, its findings have yet to be made public.
BLRI has also faced allegations that the deaths of 1,200 quails transferred from its headquarters to the Saidpur centre were neither properly documented nor reported to higher authorities. According to the allegations, another 1,000 quails were later sent to the same facility despite the earlier losses.
During a recent visit to BLRI, Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Sultan Salauddin Tuku said an investigation committee had already been formed to examine allegations of irregularities at the institute.
He said the ostrich project would also be investigated and the findings would be made public.and the findings would be made public.