Cattle trading in the capital reported poorly on the first on Wednesday as traders sought high prices for sacrificial animals from prospective buyers.
The FE visited makeshift markets at Kamalapur, Shajahanpur, Jatrabari and Shanirakhra areas and found traders taking care of cattleheads.
Customers were seen looking and sizing up cattle, and asking their prices.
This year, the prices of different sizes of animals are comparatively high compared to last year's, according to traders and customers alike.
Traders have attributed high prices due to increased prices of cattle fodder.
They asked Tk 80,000-90,000 for a small-size animal while Tk 120,000-150,000 for a lower medium-size bull or oxen.
On the other hand, the prices of big-size cattle ranged between Tk 0.3 million and Tk 1.5 million.
Abdur Razzaque, a trader from Atgoria, Pabna, has brought five large-size animals to Kamalapur cattle market.
"I want to sell this cow (indicating one of his cattle) at Tk 1.0 million as it will give 33-maund meat," he tells the FE.
Many curious people were asking him the prices but nobody dares purchase a single one yet.
Mr Razzaque hopes to sell the cows by Saturday at little bit low prices than his current asking rates.
He says most of the customers, especially limited-income buyers, prefer small- and lower medium-size cows considering their affordability.
Badal, a trader from Bhanga upazila of Faridpur district, has brought 30 small-size cows to Shanirakhra cattle market.
He tells the FE that he wants to sell his cows at Tk 50,000-90,000 each.
A handful of customers were seen purchasing cows at the cattle markets.
"I purchased a small-size cow at Tk 75,000 to avoid last time hassle," Mostafizur Rahman, a businessman, tells the FE at Jatrabari.
However, traders hope that cattle sales will gather some momentum from Thursday.
A member of the Kamalapur cattle market committee says they are charging 5.0-per cent hasil from the selling of each cow or goat.
Meanwhile, police control rooms are being set up at cattle markets to facilitate sales and beef up security of customers.
Despite government directives, most of the customers and traders did not wear facemask and flouted the coronavirus health-safety guideline.
When asked, a high official of the fisheries and livestock ministry says veterinarians have been employed at every cattle market to help buyers purchase healthy animals.
Gabtoli and Sharulia permanent cattle markets aside, 19 such markets sit in different places under Dhaka north and south city corporations.
Our Chattogram correspondent adds: As Eid-ul-Azha nears, cattle sales have gained momentum in Chattogram and its adjacent areas.
The number of buyers at the port city's six cattle markets-three permanent and the rest temporary ones-is also increasing.
The cattle markets have kicked off selling animals since July 01.
An official at the local livestock department says the supply of cattle is less, at least 29,599 cattle heads, than the demand this year.
Chattogram City Corporation sources say 200-300 regular cattle traders supply cattle to these markets daily.
The regular cattle markets are sited at Bibirhat, Sagarika and Postarpar and the makeshift ones at Saltgola, Butterfly Park and Karnaphuli Bridge.
Unlike last year, the city authorities have not permitted two biggest temporary cattle markets, Katgor Bazar and Steel Mills Bazar in the port city.
The temporary cattle markets have been allowed to trade for 10 days from July 01 till the morning of Eid day.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com