Eid-ul-Azha is to be observed on Monday, and the holidays have already started on Friday. In this short period, people are going to the cattle markets to buy their sacrificial animals.
Like many others, Sazzad Alo, who works in a private company, looks to buy his sacrificial animal at the cattle market adjacent to Tejgaon Polytechnic Institute. However, he claims that the price of cows is high.
He told The Business Post that the price of cows, which was Tk 50,000 – 60,000 last year, is now being asked at Tk 80,000-90,000. Besides, the cows, which were priced at Tk 80,000 - Tk 90,000, are now asking for Tk 1,20,000- 1,30,000.
Many people echoed Sazzad's claims as they expressed that due to the high inflation, the purchasing power of the people has gone down, and it is affecting the sacrificial animals' market.
Like every year, the demand for medium-sized cows is high. But the traders are asking high prices for those. They said that many are thinking of buying goats instead of cows for their Qurbani.
Sellers, on the other hand, cite increased maintenance and feeding costs as the reason behind the higher price tags. They claim an ample supply of animals exists, but buyers are offering lower prices than their asking price.
Chunnu Mia, a trader from Jamalpur, brought 10 cows and expects them to sell for Tk 1,70,000-2,50,000 each. He highlights the burden of rising feed prices and maintenance over the past few years.
Such a scenario was seen during a visit to several cattle markets in Dhaka on Friday.
However, due to the court's directive, a cattle market will not be set up in Aftabnagar this year, but the people will be able to purchase their desired animals from 20 cattle markets in Dhaka.
Most of the cattle markets in the city began operating, with very few buyers and sellers during the day while the crowd increased from the afternoon onwards. Truckloads of animals come one after another from different parts of the country, including nearby districts.
Dhaka Tejgaon Polytechnic Institute cattle market media cell in-charge Abul Kalam Azad told The Business Post that they have adequate safety measures with 300 volunteers. They have arranged for veterinary doctors to treat the animals. Besides, a temporary booth was opened to secure the money of the cow sellers. They can deposit their money there and withdraw that money later.
He also said that since there is no market in Aftabnagar, many traders are coming to their markets to sell animals.
Almost the same statement comes from the Kamalapur cattle market while visiting and talking to the concerned people on Friday. The traders expected that the sales would increase in the evening from Friday.
A seller, Chunnu Mian, said, "Every year, he took his cows to the Aftabnagar cattle market. But this year, he brought cows to Kamalapur market.
Another trader, Abdul Rahim, who came from Kushtia and had 15 cows, said that the buyer had told them about the low price of their cattle. The price of animal feed has doubled in the last two to three years. In addition, the cost of maintaining cows has also increased. All in all, the price has increased. So, the price of a cow is high.
"We also want to give cows at a low price to people. But I can't sell it lose."
Ghiyas Uddin Palash, one of the representatives of the Kamlapur cattle market, said that all measures, including security measures, have been taken at the cattle market. Although the price of cattle is a little higher this time, he expects the sale to increase from Friday evening.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal recently said about the overall security during the holy Eid-ul-Adha that there is no cattle market on the roads and highways of the country. Veterinarians will be present at the animal market. Action will be taken if animals are forced to be taken to a designated market. Vehicles carrying sacrificial animals cannot be stopped without specific information. A temporary police camp will be set up at the animal market, along with counterfeit note detection machines and ATM booths.
He also said that CCTV cameras will cover the cattle market. We have received news that there will be more or less 4,399 cattle markets across the country this year. Besides, our police, dressed in plain clothes, will monitor the whole matter.
