Cattle traders landed in trouble in the capital as the administration restricted the entry of cattle heads in cattle markets before the scheduled date ahead of Eid-Ul-Azha.
Cattle traders have already started converging on the city from different parts of the country with cattle heads for selling them in the city’s cattle markets on the occasion of Eid-Ul-Azha.
But they are allegedly facing serious problem as the two city corporations were not allowing them to keep the cattle heads in the markets before October 12.
Every year, traders bring cattle heads to the capital from Kushtia, Meherpur, Sirajganj, Chapainababganj, Pabna, Bogra, Jhenaidha and Faridpur before Eid-Ul-Azha.
During a visit on Monday to different cattle markets of the capital, traders were seen keeping their cattle outside the markets and on the sidewalks.
Mijan Bepari, who came from Jhenidah to Shajahanpur Maitri Sangha field with 30 cattle heads, told New Age that to avoid extortion by police and other quarters on highways and waterways while bringing the cattle to the city, he came to the city three to four days earlier.
‘For the last six years I’ve been coming to this market but this year the authorities are not allowing the cattle to enter the markets before scheduled date,’ he deplored.
Badal Ahmed, a member of market authority, said that they have taken lease of the market for 4 days from October 12 to 16.
He said that an enforcement team of Dhaka South City Corporation is patrolling the cattle markets so that cattle traders cannot keep their cattle in the designated markets before October 12.
Quoting the authority, Badal said that it is the order of the authority to avoid traffic congestion in the capital.
Jalal Bepari brought 25 cattle heads from Faridpur to Balur Math, adjacent to Brothers Union, cattle market. He said that not only extortion, a huge amount of toll had to be paid at Nagarbari, Daulatdia, Aricha, Maowa and Kaorakandi ferry ghats in the name of higher ferry fares.
Md Selim is the lease holder of the market comprising Gopibagh, Kamalapur and Mugda. The tender price of the cattle market was Tk 27 lakh.
A market official, Noju Mia, said that they have been setting up temporary cattle markets in this place for last 30 years, but for the first time they are facing this problem as the city corporation officials were not allowing the cattle heads to be kept there.
He said that every year lease holders prepare the market two weeks ahead for the cattle traders and even traders also bring their cattle heads early to avoid hassle of traffic congestion and extortion.
Noju urged the administration to act sensibly because if cattle traders bring their cattle heads just five to six days before the eid when home goers start leaving the city to celebrate the Eid, the roads and highways would become congested with traffic.
However, Dhaka South City Corporation chief estate officer Md Khalid Ahmed told New Age a total of 19 major makeshift cattle markets are now ready in the capital to facilitate the marketing of required number of sacrificial animals for Eid-Ul-Azha.
He said DSCC set up cattle markets at Rahmatganj playground, Lalbagh, Meradia Bazar playground, Khilgaon, Sadek Hossain Khoka ground, City Corporation School ground, Golapbagh, North Shajahanpur Maitri Sangha Field, Dhupkhola Club Field, Balur Math adjacent to Brothers Union Field, Postogola Sashan Field and Jigatala-Hazaribagh ground.
The cattle markets would open three days before the Eid festival and continue till the Eid day.
DSCC set up 10 cattle markets and Dhaka North City Corporation 9 markets and decided not to allow selling sacrificial animals on city roads.
DNCC estate officer MD Lokman said that setting up of cattle markets on roads would not be allowed and action would be taken against the rule violators.
The venues selected for DNCC are Banani-Kakoli, Eastern Housing Playground Mirpur, Dhaka Polytechnic Institute Playground, Taltola Playground, Azampur Government Primary School Ground, Banarupa-Khilkhet, Baridhara Block-6, Uttara Sector-11and Agargaon Slum Playground.
