RAJSHAHI, May 30: With nearing holy Eid-ul-Azha, makeshift haats of sacrificial animals are becoming crowded with trading frenzy in Rajshahi region.
According to local sources, the Eid haats are gaining momentum, and sacrificial animals of small and medium sizes are arriving regularly. But big animals will arrive within few days before the Eid.
According to official sources, like the last year's, this year's sacrificial animals are more than the need of the Rajshahi region.
On Friday, at least 2,500 animals-cow-buffalo arrived at Taherpur Haat in Rajshahi. Haat sources said, on next Friday, this figure of animal arrival will exceed 5,000.
Traders said, Rajshahi's biggest haat sits at City Bypass on each Sunday and Wednesday. But before 3-4 days of the Eid-ul-Azha, the haat sits every day. On Wednesday, the haat became full of sacrificial animals, with 10,000-12,000 cows.
Officially, 302 sacrificial animal haats have been fixed in Rajshahi Division on the occasion of the holy Eid-ul-Azha. Already trading activities are going on in most of the haats. The remaining haats will sit in villages in the next week.
According to sources at the Department of Livestock Services (DoLS)-Rajshahi, there are 161 permanent and 141 temporary animal haats in the division. Of the permanent haats, City Bypass Haat is the biggest in the northern region.
This haat has been sitting for about 17 years for two days in a week. This haat gets expanded with arrival of sacrificial animals.
According to official sources, this year, about 43.44 lakh animals have been prepared for the Rajshahi Division. These have been reared at both family and farm levels. In these areas, farmers and farm owners are passing their busy time in making last time caring of their sacrificial animals.
In the Rajshahi district, the prepared sacrificial animals are 4,96,893 including cow 1,15,742, buffalo 4,240, goat 3,46,763, and sheep 30,148. These are higher than the demand of sacrificial animals in the district.
A cow trader at Taherpur Haat in Rajshahi Nazrul Oslam said, on next Friday, more animals will arrive at the haat.
Moitur Rahman, Owner of Khatal at City Bypass Haat, said, centring the Eid-ul-Azha, on an average, 8,000-10,000 cows are arriving daily; and after few days, the figure will exceed 20,000. "We don't see much demand of big cows. If we can't sell big cows, we will have to count losses. Yet, at the last hour, big cows arrive hugely".
A trader at this haat Abdul Malek said, on an average, Tk 700-750 per kilogram (kg) basis, cow trading is taking place. Buffalo is also selling at the same rate. And at the end the price will increase further, he added.
Farm Owner Aminul Islam of Godagari said, he reared 14 cows of local species; of them, six ones were sold at home; four cows of over three-maund weight were sold at Tk 1.10 lakh each; and two small ones were sold at Tk 95,000 and Tk 98,000.
Remaining eight ones are five maunds weighted , and he is expecting to sell these at Tk 3 lakh each.
Leasee of City Bypass Haat Aminul Islam said, after few days of the Eid-ul-Fitr, cows have been arriving at this haat at a large scale.
Already, wholesalers are coming from Dhaka, Sylhet, Chattogram and other districts to purchase cows from farmers directly and price bargain is going on, he added.
