Kazi Farms has suspended operations at its feed mill in Panchagarh following an attack, vandalism and looting at the facility, raising concerns over the supply of poultry feed for around 350,000 chickens, the company said on Wednesday.
In a press statement, Kazi Farms said the attack had forced the mill to remain closed for security reasons and called for government intervention to restore operations and ensure the safety of the facility and its employees.
According to the company, three to four people gathered in front of the feed mill in Boda upazila around 2pm on Tuesday and began a protest and demonstration.
At one stage, the protesters allegedly broke into the factory and vandalized equipment.
Kazi Farms said computers, cameras and other items were taken from the facility.
Following the incident, officials from the Boda Upazila administration, the officer-in-charge of the local police station and an assistant superintendent of police visited the site and helped bring the situation under control, according to the statement.
The company said the protesters had demanded jobs for local residents and called for the dismissal of some employees.
Kazi Farms said 370 employees currently work at the Panchagarh feed mill, including 135 residents of Panchagarh.
The remaining employees come from Thakurgaon and other districts of the northern region.
The company added that no employee had been dismissed from the mill in the past six months.
Kazi Farms operates 32 poultry farms and around 40 poultry establishments in northern Bangladesh, providing employment to approximately 5,000 people, according to the statement.
The company said it has invested around Tk2,000 crore in its operations in northern Bangladesh and has plans for further investment in the region.
Kazi Farms Chief Executive Officer Gazi M Shamsuddin said the Panchagarh feed mill produces feed for around 350,000 chickens.
He said the authorities had instructed the company to keep the mill closed temporarily for security reasons following the attack.
“If operations cannot resume quickly, the poultry sector in Panchagarh and elsewhere in the northern region could face losses,” he said.
Shamsuddin said the company believed no “invisible force” was behind the attack and urged the authorities to identify those responsible through an investigation.
He also called for steps to restore security and allow the feed mill to resume operations as soon as possible.
Kazi Farms said prolonged disruption at the facility could affect not only its operations but also poultry farms and related businesses across the northern region.
