HELEMUL ALAM and SHAHEEN MOLLAH

Although a good number of sacrificial animals have arrived at Dhaka’s cattle markets, customers were sparse yesterday, the first day of official operation of 20 markets.

Traders are still waiting for the rush of customers ahead of Eid, for which they have decided to stay put with their animals at the markets.

Md Mased, a trader at Dholaikhal, who brought 18 bulls to the market on Sunday, said he has failed to sell a single one, as the number of customers was poor, and those who went there bargained for amounts that would put him at a loss.

“We didn’t sell them at our village, as we don’t get enough money there. We bring the bulls here, hoping for a profit,” he said.

Shukkur Ali Bepari -- who brought his bull “Kala Babu” from Dohar, after raising it for five years -- is asking for Tk 20 lakh. So far, he has gotten offers for Tk 12 lakh, but he is expecting at least 15. Kala Babu weighs around 35 maunds.

“If I fail to get a good price, I won’t sell it, as I’ve raised it at my home, giving it good food. That’s why it’s so healthy,” he said.

Awlad Hossain, a resident of Mirpur, said prices of bulls are higher when compared to last year’s. He finally got a bull after several hours of frantic effort at the Gabtoli market.

“The bull I bought for Tk 90,000 was Tk 85,000 last year. But the price is not that much higher,” he said.

MIDDLEMEN ACTIVE

As customers are struggling to get bulls at reasonable prices, in Gabtoli cattle market, a section of middlemen are buying bulls from farmers, who came to the market, and reselling them for profit.

Lutfor Rahman, who usually buys bulls for meat traders, said he bought four bulls from a trader and sold three for Tk 2,000 to 3,000 profit each.

“Like me, around 30 percent of traders are seasonal, who buy bulls from permanent traders or farmers at the market and resell them for profit. But, we also have to face losses if the market is not booming,” he said.

BIG BOSS

After witnessing his exceptional size, Md Islam Uddin named his bull “Big Boss” during the course of raising him for four years at Kishoreganj’s Bajitpur.

Islam is asking Tk 32 lakh for Big Boss, which weighs 43 maunds, and has already gotten an offer of Tk 19 lakh, he said.

GOAT PRICES REASONABLE

Unlike prices of bulls and cows, goats are still affordable for customers.

Delowar Hossain -- a trader of Gabtoli, who intends to sell 500 goats and has already brought 200 -- said he bought the goats, weighing 18 to 20 kilos, for around Tk 15,000 each. “I’ll sell them for a profit of around Tk 1,000 for each of them,” he said.