Buyers have complained that the price of sacrificial animals in Meherpur is relatively high. They say that buying a cow as a sacrificial animal is going beyond the reach of the middle class. Many people are forced to buy small animals. Some are buying a cow with more than one partner. Although the number of animals is high against the demand, the price is not at a bearable level. Farmers and cattle owners claim that animal prices are relatively high due to increased cost of animal rearing and feed.

This information was learned by visiting the centenary Bamandi animal market of Gangni upazila, the biggest animal market in Meherpur district. Yesterday was Friday market day. On the surface, it can be seen that the market is filled with cattle due to Eid al-Adha. Buyers are looking for their favorite animal.

On the other hand, the sellers are waiting for the desired buyer. Livestock market is held two days a week. At least 15,000 cows are bought and sold in normal times, the concerned claim. The market is busy with the presence of buyers from different areas including Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet. And around the holy Eid-ul-Azha, the presence of more than 30,000 animals has been reported in every bazaar. According to the information of the District Livestock Directorate, two lakh cows are going to be sold in the district this season. There are 45 large farms in the district. Apart from that, farmers keep one or two cows in each house as the profit is high in cow rearing. Their number is the largest. In these areas, Holstein Friesian, Shahiwal cows, Pakistani, Red Indian breeds of cows are reared.

Aminul Islam, a cow farmer of Malsahdah village, brought 11 cows to the market. Most of these are of the Friesian variety. He said, every year the price of cow food increases. These cows have to be bathed twice a day. Electric fans run round the clock in the cow shed. All in all, cow farmers are not in a very good condition at present. On top of that, the village farmers also raise cows at home.

Azgar Mia, a resident of Naoda Hafani village in the upazila, rears two cows a year at home. He reared it for a year and sold it on Eid al-Adha. He also brought cows to the market yesterday. Buyers estimate that the weight of two cows will be close to six maunds. Both the cows have to be fed bichali, maize, napier grass and kheil every day. There is a cost of 500 rupees per day behind these cows. After that, the cow should be bathed and taken to graze in the field. So sellers want to raise these costs by selling animals.

Contrary to the attitude of animal sellers, buyers say otherwise. They complain that the sellers are charging relatively high prices of animals in the market. Mamnur Rahman, an official of a private bank in Gangni Upazila city, complained that although the import of animals in the market is sufficient, the farmers and businessmen are charging the price of cattle higher by ‘argument’; Which is more than the previous year. The price of a cow of five weight is 1 lakh 50 thousand taka; Which is unbridled for middle class families. For this reason, he is thinking of buying a goat for sacrifice. Ripon Hossain, a resident of Meherpur town and a businessman, said that it is not possible for one person to buy a cow and sacrifice it. For this reason, some families in the vicinity bought a cow weighing three and a half maunds together. The price of a cow of such weight was 1 lakh 30 thousand taka. Last year the price was 1 lakh 10 thousand taka

Sirajul Islam, the lessee of Bamandi animal market, said, “We cannot say anything about the syndicate.” But syndicates exist, there is no denying that. Compared to last year, the price of cows is seen to be 30-40 thousand more.

District Livestock Officer Saidur Rahman thinks now is the time to control the price of cattle. He said, Meherpur is mainly an agricultural area. In addition to agriculture, the people of the area keep cows and goats at home