National and international experts yesterday began a brainstorming workshop to find out prospective solution to combat pandemic Avian flu before a disaster breaks out in the country. Inaugurating the four-day workshop organised by the Bangladesh Armed Forces and US Pacific Command, Armed Forces Medical College Principal Maj Gen Muhammad Maswood said Avian influenza is a real health security threat for the world community. He said the very nature of pandemic potentiality of H5N1 virus and its spread through migratory wild ducks made it almost impossible to break the chain of virus transmission from its natural reservoir to domestic birds and other animals. Giving a statistics, he said so far 382 human cases with 63 percent fatality have been confirmed in 14 countries. Among the affected countries most are in Asia with highest number of cases in Indonesia. Maj Gen Maswood said in Bangladesh through Avian H5N1 infection occurred in poultry population, so far one human case has been detected recently. Maj Gen Maswood said the purpose of the workshop is to develop an early detection and rapid response capability at local, national and international levels. Civil and military delegates, participants from home and abroad, civilian elite, NGOs and national and international experts are participating in the workshop being held at Hotel Westin. Maj Gen Abdul Moyeed Siddiqui, DG of Medical Services, Maj Gen Golam Rabbani, consultant physician, Brig Gen Abdul Kalam Azad, commandant, Armed Forces Medical Institute, and Brig General Md Zillur Rahman, director of Medical Services (Army), were present at the inaugural