Traders and cattle sellers have started coming to the makeshift marketplaces in Dhaka city with only six days left before Eid-ul-Azha.
The Mislum's feast of sacrifice falls on August 22.
Sacrificial animals will be sold at 15 markets under Dhaka South City Corporations (DSCC) and nine under Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC).
These cattlehead markets are apart from the Gabtoli permanent market, said officials of the two city corporations.
The leaseholders of the makeshift markets are set to officially open the sale of the callte on Saturday amid adequate supply of animals, they added.
Many traders, however, expressed fear over decreasing prices following an influx of Indian cows this year.
As the dwellers have only six days to buy cattle, leaseholders and traders hoped their markets will draw buyers from the opening day, weather permitting.
However, the tender process of seven haats-six under DSCC and one under DNCC-are yet to complete.
They include Kamalpur, Armanitola and Maynartek cattle markets.
The officials said the city's makeshift markets are likely to witness the higher number of cattle this time as local farmers have a plenty of cattle in their hands alongside the imported ones.
During a spot visit to different markets on Wednesday and Thursday, the FE found many markets being decorated with banners, festoons and colourful lighting.
The leaseholders have already set up loudspeakers and toll collection booths in many places.
The markets will be formally opened on Saturday morning, but many buyers are already visiting them.
However, the number of sales was insignificant.
Leaseholder Masudur Rahman Sumon of Tibet intersection cattle market, said they have already had a good stock of cattle as traders started bringing animals.
"We hope to pull in customers on the very first day," he told the FE.
The FE found large numbers of cattle rearers and traders at the Gabtoli market.
Julfiqar Ali, a cattle farmer from Tangail's Ghatail sub-district, came to Gabtoli with six bulls weighing between 125-135 kilograms each.
He said customers are coming, asking prices and offering much lower rates than his expectations.
Mr Ali was charging Tk 70,000-Tk 78,000 for each animal.
"It cost him close to Tk 44,000 to rear each animal."
He said they have to spend at least Tk 1,500 per day for their stay in Dhaka city.
However, many traders expressed grievances over cattle imports from India.
Shahjahan Mian has came to Gabtoli from Darsana in Chuadanga with his eight big-sized bulls.
He said they were in fear as the number of Indian cattle is increasing alongside the local animals.
According to the Department of Livestock Services, local cattle farmers have more than 5.0 million cows for sale this Eid.
They can meet more than 90 per cent of the demand for sacrificial animals, it said.
The department estimated that nearly 11.5 million cattle, including cow, goat, sheep and buffalo, were slaughtered during the last Eid-ul-Azha in Bangladesh.
