Dishonest and excessive use of antibiotics in meat producing animals in Bangladesh: a regulatory review

The article aims to bring about regulatory reforms concerning excessive use of medically important antimicrobials (MIA) on meat producing animals (MPA) in Bangladesh. An excessive use of MIA with a dishonest motive of artificially fattening animals including poultry chickens has been commonplace in Bangladesh. The usage of MIA in such a manner has the potential to create antimicrobial resistant infections in the animals, which can be transmitted to humans through food, direct contact with MPA or even via environmental spread. Such a transmission has already massively occurred in Bangladesh. In formulating recommendations, we critically analyse the existing regulatory functions and employ both empirical and doctrinal methods of analysis. Our empirical research reveals that the regulatory laxity, profit motive, and ignorance of antibiotics users and meat consumers about the latent harm are major factors contributing to the unsafe use of MIA. To address these factors, we submit eleven specific recommendations for necessary reforms.