Dhaka, Dec 26 : Around 100,000 birds have been culled and 250,000 eggs destroyed in Bangladesh following a major outbreak of avian flu on the outskirts of the capital, officials said Wednesday.

The bird flu was detected last week in Gazipur area near Dhaka, Xinhua reported.

An official from the fisheries and livestock department said another 50,000 birds will be culled and 50,000 eggs destroyed in the next few days.

Bangladesh, a country, of 153 million, is considered high-risk with respect to avian influenza.

Bird flu was first detected in Bangladesh in a poultry farm near Dhaka in March 2007. The situation deteriorated as the virus spread across the country in 47 districts between December 2007 and March 2008. The first bird flu infection in humans in Bangladesh was detected in May 2008. (IANS)