A large number of Indian cattle injected with banned dichlorophen are heading towards major cities across the country from Bagachra Satmail cattle market in Sharsha upazila everyday ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.
Located in close proximity with the Bangladesh-India border, the temporary cattle market at Bagachra Satmail is the largest of its kind in the southwestern region of the country that attracts wholesalers of Indian cattle.
At least 10,000 cattle, mostly imported from India, are being sold at the market everyday ahead of second largest Muslim festival.
Talking to the news agency, cattle traders admitted that the cattle were being injected with banned dichlorophen as soon as they land on the market after a week-long, hectic transportation from different faraway states in India.
Debprashad Mondol, a cattle trader from India, said that they have to inject each of the cattle with dichlorophen and vitamins to fend off the fatigue the cattle had to suffer from 5-7 days of travelling from Indian States as far as Haryana.
However, no medical team has been deployed by the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) to check the use of the banned medicine at the cattle market.
When asked, Sharsha Upazila Nirbahi Officer ATM Sharifur Alam said they have informed the livestock officials about it.
Sharsha upazila DLS Officer Mihir Kanti Biswas said they are unable to detect whether the cattle are injected with dichlorophen or not because they do not have the facility for the health check up of the cattle.
