Sales of sacrificial animals are yet to get momentum in Sylhet despite a huge number of cattle pouring into the lone permanent cattle market at Kazirbazar in the city with only three days left for the Muslim’s second biggest religious festival, Eid-ul-Azha.
A large number of cows, buffaloes and goats have been brought to the market and the crowd of buyers and visitors was also remarkable.
‘But, the selling rate is yet to reach at the expected level because of high prices of the sacrificial animals,’ cattle trader Bachchu Miah said.
The traders attributed crisis of fodders and their increased prices along with the extra carrying cost to high prices of cattle this year.
Kazirbazar Traders’ Association president Fazlu Miah, however, is hopeful of doing good business this year.
He said the buyers are now observing the prices of sacrificial animals and they will begin to buy animals one or two days before Eid.
‘As the panic of anthrax has already subsided and a good number of buyers have started flocking to the cattle market, the sales would be increased within the next one or two days,’ he added.
Apart from the Kazirbazar cattle market, several makeshift markets at Lakkatura, Shah Paran Gate, Masimpur and Rikabibazar in the city are set up every year but these markets have not yet started.
Sacrificial animals are mainly supplied to the city markets from Thakurgaon, Chapainababganj, Kushtia, Jhinaidah, Nator, Jessore, Mymensingh, Kishorganj and Sherpur alongside the locally collected animals, sources in the Kazirbazar cattle market said.
Traders at the city’s Kazirbazar cattle market were charging from Tk 20,000 to Tk 50,000 for a small and medium size oxen and bulls, while Tk 50,000 to Tk 2,20,000 for the big ones. Prices of goats vary from Tk 3,500 and Tk 45,000.
Shahnur Miah, a buyer from Bishwanath upazila in the district, said he was a bit confused about buying sacrificial animal this year because of anthrax fear.
‘I went to the Kazirbazar cattle market on Friday to buy a couple of cows and because of the high prices, I have decided to wait for more one or two days,’ he said.
