Anisul Islam Noor :
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed on Monday said that there would be no crisis of sacrificial animal in the country if neighbouring India would not ease cattle trade in the border.
“There is a stock of about 3 million cattle and 7 million goats at farmers’ level that is enough to meet the demand of sacrificial animal during the Eid-ul Azha,” he told reporters after the price evaluation meeting held at Trading Corporation Bhaban.
Though the minister could not see any crisis of sacrificial animal, traders said, at present a crisis prevails in the cattle markets. The crisis will be overcome if cattle arrival in different domestic markets is increased in the second week of September.
Earlier, the import of cattle from India were done through informal channel but with certain officials understanding. But the imports have come to an almost halt, excepting a few points.
The cattle traders said the Indian cattle traders are gathering cows near bordering areas ahead of Eid-ul-Azha when the demand for cows raise in Bangladesh. But the cadres of Hindu nationalist organisation — Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) — are keeping surveillance in bordering areas so that no cattle could cross Indian’s border with Bangladesh, they said.
Inhabitants in the bordering areas said there are awareness-raising campaigns that cautioned the traders about restrictions on cattle imports from India. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members are carrying out meetings to make the local people aware of the situation.
Bangladeshi cattle traders and the carriers, who used to bring cows into the country, are facing barriers created by India’s border security force (BSF) while making any attempts to do so.
General Secretary of Bangladesh Meat Traders Association Robiul Alam said the number of cows that are brought to Gabtoli cattle market in Dhaka is not enough now.
“It is hard to say what the condition will be during the Eid-ul-Azha. This is because the local cattle come to the market 8-10 days before Eid-ul-Azha. The price of the cattle would be determined only when the local cattle are brought to the market,” he said. Director General of Livestock Department Ajay Kumar Ray, however, said the government has already undertaken some plans to overcome the situation. “There will be no shortage of cattle in the market as there are 3.4 million cows and buffaloes and 7.9 million goats and lambs in the country. The farmers are ready to sell them during the Eid market,” he added.
According to the national board of revenue (NBR) and BGB 2 million cattle are brought from India every year on an average. Annual turnover in this cross-border trader is around Tk 3,000 crore or Taka 30 billion.
According to official statistics, 20.32 lakh cattle came to the country in 2014. A total of 23.74 lakh cows came in 2013, which meant that almost 2 lakh cattle were brought every month.
