By Kabir Ahmed Khan

DHAKA, June 29, 2026 (BSS) - The government has undertaken a major initiative to import vaccines to protect the country’s livestock from various infectious diseases. 

The Department of Livestock Services (DLS) has already initiated the private import of approximately four crore doses of vaccines—two crore doses each for Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) and Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD). 

At the same time, domestic vaccine production is also being expanded. While local production stood at 500,000 doses last year, it is being increased to two million doses this year.

Director General of the Department of Livestock Services, Md. Shahjaman, told BSS that the department has taken a number of measures aimed at eliminating Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) and Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD). 

As part of these efforts, initiatives have been taken to privately import around 20 million doses of LSD vaccine and 20 million doses of FMD vaccine, while local production is being increased to two million doses.

He added that since domestic production is insufficient to meet national demand, private companies are being allowed to import vaccines. They will import vaccines according to demand to address the existing supply gap.

Officials of the Department of Livestock Services said that due to an inadequate domestic supply of vaccines, the government has decided to import 20 million doses of trivalent FMD vaccine and 20 million doses of LSD vaccine.

They also noted that Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H9N2) is a significant disease affecting commercial poultry production, causing substantial economic losses to poultry farmers. 

To prevent the disease, the government has approved the import of five billion doses of H9N2 vaccines and their various combination vaccines, as there is currently a shortage of these vaccines in the market.

Officials further explained that climate change and rising global temperatures have contributed to increased heat and humidity, creating favorable conditions for the rapid breeding and activity of mosquitoes, flies, and ticks. 

As a result, viral diseases such as Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) and Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) are spreading more widely among livestock. 

To protect the country's livestock and poultry sectors from these contagious diseases, the Department of Livestock Services has undertaken a large-scale vaccine import program this year.

Deputy Director (Administration) of the Department of Livestock Services, Dr. Md. Tarek Hossain, told BSS that the viral disease Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) has spread at an alarming rate across different parts of the country due to the intense summer heat. 

The disease becomes particularly severe during the summer  and periods of extremely high temperatures. He said that both FMD and LSD are among the most important diseases affecting livestock and are responsible for significant economic losses for farmers.

Explaining the diseases further, Dr. Tarek Hossain said that Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) is a highly contagious viral disease that primarily affects cattle, buffaloes, and goats. It spreads through mosquitoes, flies, saliva, and poor farm management practices.

Early symptoms include a body temperature of 103–105°F, loss of appetite, and severe body pain. 

About two days later, pox-like nodules appear on the animal's body. These nodules eventually fill with pus, rupture, and leave open wounds where flesh may slough off. 

The disease reduces fertility, body weight, and milk production. June, July, and August are considered the peak season for LSD. 

According to Dr. Hossain, the disease has a mortality rate of about 10 percent among affected livestock. Without timely treatment, infected animals become weak and their productivity declines significantly.

According to the Department of Livestock Services, Lumpy Skin Disease was first identified in Zambia in 1929 and later spread throughout Africa. 

In Bangladesh, the disease was first detected in the Chattogram region in 2019. Since then, it has spread to various districts across the country and has emerged as one of the major challenges facing Bangladesh's livestock sector.