Sales of sacrificial animals began in the city's 25 cattle markets on Saturday with their prices showing comparatively higher than that of last year.
Traders have attributed the higher prices of sacrificial animals to increased cost of cattle fodder and persisting good weather.
Many traders said the prices of animals might drop to some extent when sales would increase within next two days.
However, sales of sacrificial animals were yet to gain momentum in the markets with just three days ahead of Eid-ul-Azha to be celebrated on August 22.
According to the Department of Livestock Services (DLS), 5.0 million cows and 6.5 million buffalos, goats and sheep are expected to be sacrificed this Eid-ul-Azha festival across the country.
More than 20 per cent of animals will be traded in Dhaka during the festival, according to DLS.
During the visit to some cattle markets on Saturday, the FE correspondent found that most buyers were going to wait and see in purchasing their desired animals as traders were asking for comparatively higher prices.
A large number of cattle-laden trucks were entering the city through different points to reach the lone permanent cattle market at Gabtoli and other makeshift markets in the two city corporations.
However, despite export restrictions by India, a good number of Indian cattle were found here which worried traders who reared local cattle with a hope for handsome profits.
Belal Hossain, a cattle trader of Atgharia in Pabna, said he brought 15 medium and large-size cows to Hazaribagh-Jigatola haat.
He said they have a huge stock of animals but customers were lesser in number. He sold only one ox out of his stock until Saturday evening.
He expected that the number of buyers would increase from Sunday evening.
Manjurul Islam, a cattle trader of Kushtia, said prices of animals would remain higher this year. The cost of rearing a cow increased by minimum 25 per cent due to a surge in feed prices, he added.
He said prices of cattle dropped significantly last year following heavy flooding that forced the farmers in many districts to sell those at lower prices.
He said sound weather conditions help cattle traders in picking up bargain this time.
"I brought 32 bulls to Gabtoli with an investment of Tk 2.5 million. I reared 20 cattle myself and bought others from my village," he added.
Many customers were found buying cattle much earlier fearing further price hike.
Rezanur Rahman, an adhesive trader of Nawabganj Bazar, bought a local bull, weighing nearly 200 kilogrammes, at Tk 0.105 million from Hazaribagh on the day.
"I bought the animal to avoid further price hike," he said, adding that an animal weighing the same was sold at Tk 80,000-Tk 85,000 last year.
However, many were seen visiting the cattle markets only to observe the market trend and the supply situation of animals.
Samiul Alam (Shuvo) at Gabtoli market said his father sent him to the haat only to see price trend and supply situation.
He said traders are charging much higher prices this year than that of last year although there is an ample supply of animals.
Mr Alam expected that prices might fall within next two days with further surge in supply.
However, cattle of imported Indian, local indigenous, Nepalese and Australian varieties were available in the markets.
Their prices ranged between Tk 35,000 and Tk 0.45 million while goats were available in between Tk 8,000 and Tk 62,000 at Gabtoli.
Many camels were also put on sale at Gabtoli with the prices ranging from Tk 0.55 million to Tk 1.4 million.
Member of Gabtoli Cattle Market Management Committee Md Jamal Biswas told the FE that supply of imported animals is still lower than that of last year.
But it has been increasing in every hour as traders in the bordering districts were able to bring hundreds of Indian cows this year.
He said nearly 0.45 million cows and 0.75 million goats would be sold at Gabtoli and the sales would get momentum from Monday morning.
However, cattle traders from different regions including Rangpur, Pabna, Sirajganj, Kushtia, Rajshahi, Faridpur and Jashore were coming to the city in large number.
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