Mahabub Alam and Joynal Abedin Khan :
The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) are going to set up 18 makeshift sacrificial cattle markets in different parts of the city ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, one of the largest religious festivals of the Muslims.
The cattle markets will be inaugurated just three days before the Eid. The DSCC has fixed 11 places for cattle markets this year. But it as surprisingly excluded Naya Bazaar-Armanitola, city’s well-known and second largest sacrificial haat for years, and included Delwar Hossain Playground, close to it, in order that the buyers can find their way to the cattle market easily.
The tenders were invited for 11 markets. The process of allocating six of them is on. These are at Postogola, Dhupkhola, Brothers Union Club, Rahmatganj, Meradia and Sadeque Hossain Khoka playgrounds.
Bidding amount being poor, the authorities have decided to invite tender again for five haats at Hazaribagh Park, Golapbagh, Uttar Shajahanpur, Delwar Hossain playground and Kamrangirchar.
As there is no playground at Kamrangirchar, the Hafizzihuzur Road had been used for cattle market in the past. It created a lot of troubles for the local residents, who have demanded shifting of the market to a better place.
No cattle market will be allowed on roads and unauthorised places. A number of vigilance and Mobile teams would work day and night for three days before the Eid to stop illegal cattle markets. Khalid Ahmed, Chief Estate Officer of DSCC and Deputy Secretary of the government said. “If any one violates the rules, he or she will be liable to punishment”.
The corporation has fixed five percent hasil (one kind of tax on sale price). It means the buyers will have to pay Tk 50 for every Tk 1,000, he says. “If any one is found to charge extra money, it will be considered as an offence.
No restaurant, hotel and vendor will be allowed on the market premises to avert unwanted development, he said.
“Bangladesh Bank will provide money counting and fake currency tracing machines, while the law enforces will remain ready to meet emergencies”, says Khalid Ahmed.
When asked about the removal of garbage from the markets, Superintendent Engineer Abu Saleh Mohammad Mainuddin of Waste Manage Department of DSCC said that the city corporation officials would take necessary steps.
Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) will set up seven cattle markets this year, against nine in 2013, said officials of the city corporation.
The DNCC will host temporary cattle markets at Uttara Azampur Government Primary School playground, Khilkhet Banorupa residential project, Agargaon near slum, Banani near railway station, Eastern Housing, Baridhara J Block and Uttara Sector 11 and 13.
The Agargaon (Taltola) and Dhaka Polytechnique playground markets have been cancelled upon the requests made by the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC) and the Dhaka Textile University, officials said.
“We expect more revenues this year from the cattle markets. In case of poor bidding amount, the tenders will be invited again,” said Chief Estate Officer of DNCC Md Aminul Islam.
