Abdul Alim :
Digital cattle markets are new hopes of buying and selling sacrificial animals before and after Eid-ul-Adha.
Several online platforms, including DNCC’s ‘Digital Haat’ have already started campaigning in view of fewer Qurbani haats compared with the previous years.
There are arrival and sale of cattle hither and thither lacking momentum due to corona attack and death all over the country.
Buyers from home and abroad have started booking sacrificial animals for slaughtering, as the companies will deliver the sacrificial cattle before a day or two of Eid-ul-Adha. Many city corporations have reduced the number of makeshift animal markets this year in their areas, to reduce the risks of contracting the novel coronavirus.
E-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (e-CAB) General Secretary Md Abdul Wahed Tomal said, “A good number of customers will try to buy their sacrificial animals online and would prefer a complete package, including slaughtering and delivery.”
“This year situation is not like that of previous years for coroanavirus,” he added.
Anup Munir, Assistant Manager of othoba.com said, “The customers have a huge interest in the digital cattle market for health issue and we are seeing them tremendous responsive.”
“Our sales are around 80 percent higher this year,” he said.
“In the past, people were not very familiar with online services. But the situation has changed this year due to the outbreak of the pandemic, said Akter Habib, the founder of Sonargaon Cattle Service.
“All payments have been made digital, anyone can pay physically after choice sacrificial animal.”
The Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has decided not to set up a sacrificial animal market in densely populated areas of the capital to prevent the transmission of coronavirus.
DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam said, “We encourage the citizens buying and selling sacrificial animals by online while set up a digital platform. It has also been well received by the people.”
He said, “Five locations have been pre-selected as places for slaughtering while new sites are also being considered.”
