IVSA Bangladesh organized a seminar on “Dairy Farmer Entrepreneurship” in the conference room (3^rd Floor) of SAQTVH, CVASU on Thursday, December 27, at 5.30 pm for the veterinary students. The meeting was supported by the Chief Advisor of IVSA (Prof Md. Ahasanul Hoque) and OIE Twinning Project. The invited speaker of the meeting was Md. Abul Hasan Chowdhury (Sagar), Managing Director, Chowdhury Agro Farms, Chattogram who is the successful entrepreneur in dairy farming and a motivated and self-learned dairy farmer encouraging others in livestock sector with his newer efforts. The objective of the meeting was to encourage veterinary students to be future entrepreneurs.

Mr. Sagar described himself in the presentation as a cowboy rather than a businessman. To him, dairy farming is not just about raising cows, producing milk, selling milk and earning money but also is an art.  He studies and spends ample time behind dairying.  He wants to be one of the renowned dairy farmers in Bangladesh. He explained what he is doing right now and how he can improve the livestock sector in the future. He advised giving special attention to breeding, feeding and farm management. He sends milk regularly from his farm for bulk milk somatic cell count (BMSCC) every month. He is convinced that BMSCC tells him a lot about his farm management and milk quality. BMSCC helps him a lot to sell milk and by-products with laboratory certification. He expresses his gratitude to Udder Health Bangladesh, CVASU for this great initiative.

At the meeting, Meherjan Islam (ex-IVSA member), an intern vet of the Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, also shared her experiences of two-month Upazila Veterinary Hospital placement.  She said for a girl there are always some challenges, but those can be overcome through sharing. She handled very interesting clinical cases during the rotation such as bovine papillomatosis, a dystopia in a dog. Her works at the UVH was highly praised by the hospital veterinarian and staff.

In the “Question and Answer Session” students asked several questions like “(i) How they can start farm business or from”, (ii) where they can get financial support? (iii) We should start business individually or in a group. Mr. Sagar suggests that starting a business individually is better and one can get financial support from a bank or from own property. He is willing to support if anyone wants to start a business in the future.

Dr.  Sayed Hossain, VS, Ukhiya Upazila; Dr.  Nurul Islam, FETPV; Dr. Md. Faisal, LEO; Dr. Ovirup Bhushan Paul, UHB; the current- and ex-president of IVSA Bangladesh, Easrat Jahan Esha and Seemanta Das and other members of IVSA Bangladesh were present in the meeting. The meeting was concluded with a vote thanks from Mir Nishat Tasnim Tania and the hopes of organizing such events in the future.