The price of sacrificial animals was noticeably lower in West Bengal of India compared to the price of cattle markets in Dhaka ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.
In a video surfaced online on Friday, a West Bengal buyer named Shirajuddin claimed that he bought two cows at Tk60,000 only, whereas one single cow is being sold at double that price in cattle markets of Dhaka.
Golam Kibria, a cattle seller of West Bengal, said that he was asking only Tk39,000 for a cow in the cattle market.
Another seller, Soleiman, was trying to sell one of his big cows at only Tk26,000.
Similarly, at the West Bengal cattle market, sellers were asking Tk39,000-1,20,000 for two cows, depending on the quality and size, while the price of a single cow starts from Tk20,000.
Meanwhile, the prices of sacrificial animals at the capital’s cattle markets are also higher compared to the rural markets of the country, according to sources.
The cattle sellers of Dhaka said that they had to increase the price of the sacrificial animals due to the hike in the prices of essentials and increases in transport costs.
Moreover, they said they had to raise the price of cattle as the price of beef had risen from Tk500 to Tk700 per kg.
People can also buy sacrificial animals online these days, which has also impacted cattle prices, they added.
As Eid is only two days away, leaseholders and sellers expected that the sale of sacrificial animals in Dhaka would pick up from Friday, but there was no visible improvement.
Talking to Dhaka Tribune, Mizanur Rahman, leaseholder at Aftabnagar cattle market, said that the price of sacrificial animals is higher this year compared to last year.
According to the traders of the capital, the cost of transporting animals is now double.
They said that the cost per truck in the region is Tk30,000 to Tk40,000.
The sellers also mentioned that they do not mind selling the animals at lower prices at the last moment as the financial burden of taking the animals back would be too heavy.
Cattle trader Firoz Alam said the prices that the buyers have been offering would not even cover the cost of feeding the cows.
On the other hand, buyers said the high prices were severely limiting their choices.
Sacrificial animals including cows, goats and buffaloes are being brought from different parts of the country in trucks and pickups to Dhaka.
In Dhaka, as many as 21 authorized cattle markets were set up this year.