Cattle traders waiting for sale to begin

Different cattle markets in the capital are teeming with sacrificial animals as traders wait for the sale to begin in a day or two.

“Our booths will start receiving Hasil [charge for the purchasing price paid by the buyers] from Monday or Tuesday. But we are allowing the traders to take their cattle to the field,” said Masud Rana, member of a committee which has got the Sadeque Hossain Khoka playground in Dholai Khal area on lease to set up a cattle market.

Traders started to take their animals to different makeshift markets in Dhaka from Friday. A Dhaka South City Corporation official said the traders had been asked not to do so before yesterday.

The Daily Star saw several thousands of sacrificial animals on East End Club playground at Dhupkhola in Gandaria area, Sadeque Hossain Khoka playground and Balurmath adjoining Brothers Union Club at Kamalapur yesterday.

Some cattle were on the adjacent streets, blocking traffic movement and causing sufferings to commuters.

Masud Rana said they had to keep some animals on street as the Sadeque Hossain Khoka playground had “insufficient space” for all the cattle. “The condition of the ground is also bad.”

Meanwhile, the traders, who had to leave their cattle on streets, got into trouble after it rained yesterday.

“I wanted to make makeshift polythene sheds to protect my bulls from rain, but I was not permitted to do so,” said Ratan Kumar, a trader who brought 10 bulls to the market in Dholai Khal area.

CCTV

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras have been set up at different points of cattle markets in the city for security purpose.

“We have arranged 40 CCTVs across the market to ensure security,” said Masud Rana of the Sadeque Hossain Khoka playground cattle market committee.

This year, the two city corporations have allowed setting up 15 makeshift cattle markets across the capital. The market at Gabtoli is the lone permanent cattle market.