Cattle farmers and traders are worried about sales of their livestock ahead of Eid-ul-Azha due to the Covid-19 pandemic as thousands of cattle are being smuggled into Bangladesh from India through the border areas.
Domestic supply would be almost enough to meet the demand for sacrificial animals during the coming Eid-ul-Azha.
But thousands of cattle farmers are now staring at massive losses. Thousands of cattle are feared to remain unsold ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.
Wishing anonymity, some cattle traders in Satkhira told the Daily Observer that they needed to pay TK500 to Tk1000 per cow to linemen in the border areas to bring cattle into Bangladesh.
Indian and Bangladeshi smugglers are engaged in smuggling of cattle in border areas of Kurigram, Satkhira. Jashore and Chapainawabganj by managing the border forces of both the countries, sources said.
The Bangladeshi farmers and traders have failed to get good price of cattle on many occasions in recent years when the Indian cattle flooded the local market during the major festival.
As the water level has swelled due to flood, the Indian smugglers are using strong water currents to send the cattle into Bangladesh territories after sunset to avoid detection.
The Indian smugglers pushed the cattle including cows and buffaloes in the deep water, allowing the currents to take the animals to the other side of the border.
Later, Bangladeshi smugglers are taking the cows and buffaloes to local cattle markets. Every day at least 100 to 200 cattle are being lined up in markets for sale in the district. They are later transported to Dhaka, Chittagong, Noakhali and Tangail by trucks.
However, the recent halt in imports of cattle from India through informal channels may come as blessing in disguise for Bangladeshi farmers, officials believe.
Bangladesh has already got a stock of 3 million cows and buffalos and 6.9 million goats and lambs. The number may hit 19 million ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha,
Though the overall situation has led to a sharp meat price hike in the domestic market in recent times, Bangladesh will be benefited in the long run as cattle farmers are now encouraged to go for a large scale cattle farming, he said.
Meanwhile, the flow of sacrificial animals from Myanmar through Bangladesh-Myanmar border has increased sharply in recent days.
The cows are being imported through formal channel using only corridor in Teknaf that increased income for the customs authority. Some 300-400 cows and buffalos enter Bangladesh through Teknaf every day.
Local businesspeople said they would be able to bring some 12,000 cows and buffaloes in the coming days. The consignment of cattle comes through wood-made cargo boats using the Na'f River.
Master Zahid Hossain, a resident of Shahpurir Dwip, said the demand for Myanmar cows had increased as they had seen a tendency of applying cow fattening method in the country.
Another resident, Abdus Salam Member, said the import of cows from Myanmar through corridor remained stagnant for various reasons. "We've seen the resumption of import and hope it'll get a further boost."
Humayun Kabir, an official at Teknaf Customs Station, said some 4,194 sacrificial animals came from Myanmar in August generating a revenue income of Tk20-85 lakh.
He also said some 25,000 sacrificial animals came from Myanmar last year and he is expecting to see the import of another 10,000 sacrificial animals ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha.
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said there would be no crisis of sacrificial animals ahead of Eid-ul-Azha even if Indian cattle are not imported, as there is an ample stock of animals in the country.
Some 2.5 million cattle are smuggled out on average every year from India to Bangladesh across the border through certain understanding between the officials of the two countries.
However, the strict monitoring along the border over cattle smuggling contributed to high price of beef in Bangladesh market.
