# Tk 134 Crore Project Ends in Failure, 15 Ostriches Slaughtered and Eaten

> A Tk 134 crore BLRI project to assess commercial ostrich farming in Bangladesh ended without significant success. Of 22 ostriches imported from Africa, 15 were slaughtered to test meat quality and three died. Experts qu…

Published: 2026-08-02 · Desk: Latest · Source: Bangla Tribune

A Tk 134 crore research project by the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI) aimed to assess whether ostriches could be commercially farmed in Bangladesh as an alternative source of beef. Under the project, 22 juvenile ostriches were imported from Africa in 2020 in two phases to study their adaptability, reproduction, and commercial potential in the country's climate.

According to BLRI, 15 ostriches were slaughtered to evaluate the quality and taste of their meat, while three died during the research. Only a few remain, with uncertainty surrounding the whereabouts of some birds. Although researchers initially believed ostriches could adapt well to Bangladesh, officials later acknowledged the project failed to produce significant results.

Wildlife experts questioned the ethics and scientific justification of slaughtering so many birds for research, arguing that such decisions should have been carefully considered before the project began. BLRI officials said the slaughter was necessary to evaluate meat quality, but the project director has not publicly responded.

The project has also faced allegations of nepotism and irregularities involving its director. Meanwhile, the government has formed an investigation committee to examine these allegations and other reported irregularities at BLRI.

Original reporting: https://www.banglatribune.com/country/dhaka/960030/%E0%A7%A7%E0%A7%A9%E0%A7%AA-%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AB%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%82%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%99%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%87-%E0%A7%A7%E0%A7%AB%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BF?fbclid=IwY2xjawTcAR5leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFGSXQyeEZKaWJia0doRU1mc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHiavXd26LgiacdebCmRX_Efr3rrt19O_Koy2CdvcBgSnSvhyU6h14mZz0R69_aem_k0XWxaumXYP0GvHqPdOG-w
HTML: https://tezzfeed.com/latest-news/tk-134-crore-project-ends-in-failure-15-ostriches-slaughtered-and-eaten-1785668409543
Bangladesh desk: https://tezzfeed.com/bangladeshi-news.md
Agent map: https://tezzfeed.com/llms.txt