Speakers at the International Technical Seminar 2026 organized by the World's Poultry Science Association – Bangladesh Branch (WPSA-BB) emphasized that Bangladesh's poultry sector must move beyond a volume-centric mindset and focus on farm profitability, food safety, climate resilience, and internationally credible standards.
Held under the theme "Resilient Poultry Production for Global Competitiveness", the seminar featured eight speakers representing the government, industry, and academia.
Md Shahzaman Khan, director general, Department of Livestock Services (DLS), attended the inaugural session as chief guest.
Special guests included Moshiur Rahman, convener, Bangladesh Poultry Industries Central Council (BPICC), and Shakila Faruque, director general, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI).
The session was chaired by WPSA-BB president Shamsul Arefin Khaled.
WPSA-BB president Shamsul Arefin Khaled stated that while the sector has addressed volume growth, it has yet to secure value realization.
Despite rising output, many producers are incurring losses; according to his estimates, breeder farms lost approximately Tk1,706 crore over the past 20 months.
He highlighted that profit margins have shifted from farms and hatcheries to intermediaries along the supply chain.
He urged aligning chick supply with market demand, according legal status to the national poultry policy, and expanding investments in insurance, processing, and cold chains.
Ensuring farmer protection and building a sustainable industry: WPSA-BB general secretary Fayzur Rahman outlined the strategic direction for the industry.
Md Zahidul Islam, director & CEO of Bangla-UK Agro Products Ltd, noted that the lowest FCR does not always yield the highest profitability. Adhering strictly to drug withdrawal periods and marketing heavier birds can improve farm income as well as food safety.
Khitima Jindamongkon, regional manager at dsm-firmenich APAC, shared insights from Asian poultry industries, noting that future success depends on integration, processing, traceability, and leveraging local breeds like the 'Sonali' chicken.
Prof Emdadul Haque Chowdhury, Department of Pathology at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), presented a research study combining consumer/stakeholder surveys with laboratory testing. Contrary to public misconceptions, no growth hormones were detected in the tested samples.
Moshiur Rahman, managing director of Paragon Group and convener of BPICC, stated that optimizing feed conversion, efficient energy management, and reducing mortality can lower both operational costs and carbon emissions.
Baby Rani Karmakar, joint secretary at the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, noted that while Bangladesh can compete in international halal markets, success requires internationally recognized certification, accredited laboratories, and market-specific compliance frameworks.
The seminar concluded with an open discussion titled "Towards a Globally Competitive, Safe, and Sustainable Poultry Sector in Bangladesh", moderated by Prof Md Mahmudul Hasan Sikder, member-secretary of the WPSA-BB technical sub-committee.
Discussions also focused on developing affordable, smart, resource-efficient farming models across scales and charting the strategic roadmap for the sector.