All the 25 makeshift cattle markets, under two city corporations in the capital, are now ready for business.
The preparations were completed on Tuesday, two days ahead of the official opening of the markets. The cattle markets would operate only for four days from Thursday before the Eid festival.
Cattle traders, in the meantime, have already started arriving in the capital transporting huge number of sacrificial animals for sale.
During visits to some of the prominent city cattle markets on Tuesday, this correspondent found most of them nearly full of cattle while customers remained busy bargaining for prices. It was also noticed that the organizers of the cattle market have also taken special measures to deal with possible rains in the days ahead.
Hundreds of cattle-laden trucks, in the meantime, have started arriving in the capital, other metropolitan cities and district towns from different regions of the country. The enthusiasm for selling the sacrificial animals was evident in the already operational cattle markets where the level of activities was found at its highest in many markets. Police have also been instructed not to stop trucks carrying cattle on highways ahead of Eid-ul-Azha as the condition of roads and highways has worsened after rain and flood.
Sacrificial animals will be sold at 25 makeshift markets, of the 14 makeshift markets are under Dhaka South City Corporations (DSCC) and 11 under Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), according to city corporation sources.
Apart from the makeshift cattle markets, the permanent cattle market in Gabtoli will also be in business. Bangladesh Post obtained the list of leaseholders and makeshift marketplaces under DSCC and DNCC.
The cattle markets under the DSCC are located at MaitreeShangho playground at Uttar Shahjahanpur, Meradia Bazar Playground at Khilgoan, open spaces of Dhupkhola playground, Kawartek playground under DSCC No. 41, open spaces of Amulia Model Town, Aftabnagar Eastern Housing DawkandiEndulia, ShyampurBalur Math, Shamsabad playground under DSCC ward No. 32, Hazaribagh field at Zigatola, LalbaghRahmatganj playground, Chairman Bari intersection in Kamrangirchar, GopibaghBalur Math & open spaces adjacent to Kamalapur Stadium and open space of ShanirAkhra-Daniya playground.
The cattle markets under the DNCC has been set-up at: Open spaces at Kawla-Shialdanga, Uttara-10 Sluice gate to Kamarpara Bridge, open spaces on north side of Mirpur DOHS, open spaces of Dhaka Polytechnic Institute, open spaces of Shahidnagar Housing in Uttarkhan, Badda Eastern Housing (Aftabnagar), open space of Eastern Housing at Mirpur- 6, Khilkhet Banorupa Residential Project, open spaces near the bridge No 1 & 2 at Uttara Sector 15, Vatara (Sayed Nagar), Mohammadpur Intellectual Road adjacent open spaces, and open spaces of both side of the 300 Feet road of Khilkhet.
Leaseholder of MaitreeShangho playground at Uttar ShahjahanpurMd Abdul Lotif told Bangladesh Post, “We have set-up all the things including cowsheds to keep the animals, parking facilities for cattle traders and customers. We have opened special accommodation for cattle traders who remain in the capital temporarily.”
ASM Enterprise took the lease at the cost of Tk 8,40,000 for the cattle market which is located at MaitreeShangho playground and its adjacent open spaces.
The leaseholder of Gopibagh Balur Math and Kamlapur area Mohammad Jakir Hossain told Bangladesh Post, “We have almost completed our works in the field to provide the best services to the traders who are expected to start crowding the city.”
Mugda Social Welfare Society took the lease of the cattle market at the cost of Tk 18,181,181 in the area which is located at GopibaghBalur Math and open spaces adjacent to Kamlapur stadium. Jakir Hossainsaid, “Our last moment work is going on to make arrangements for cowsheds, car parking facilities for buyers, and CCTV surveillance. We have also special arrangements for accommodation for of cattle traders.”
Besides, leasing authorities also informed that they will be active in checking fake notes.
Fake note detection machines will be available in the markets to detect counterfeit currency right away, they added.
Visiting another cattle market at the open space of Dhupkhola playground and its adjacent areas, this correspondent found similar preparations underway.
The leasing authorities informed that they will provide all the services like previous years.
Besides, there will be one police camp for each of the markets, while constant supervision and security will be ensured by the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) through CCTV surveillance.
Veterinary Services at the cattle markets on the occasion of the holy Eid will also be available.
Apart from this, for checking the use of unhealthy chemicals on the sacrificial animals, the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) will set up laboratory test facilities at the livestock farms across the country.
According to the Dhaka Livestock department, there are 16,728 sacrificial animals in stock in 2,680 cattle farms spread around Dhaka City’s Sutrapur, Tejgaon, Lalbagh, Mohammadpur and Savar, Dhamrai, Keranignaj, Nababganj, and Dohar.