Crowded cattle markets add to Covid-19 risk

Cattle markets of Thakurgaon and Panchagarh districts pose high risks during the ongoing community transmission of Covid-19 as social distancing and hygiene issues are hardly maintained.

In Thakurgaon, the first patient with the highly contagious disease was detected on April 1l. The number of infected people reached 50 after 41 days, 109 in eight more days and it was 130 as of Friday.

In Panchagarh, the first Covid-19 patient was detected on April 17. After 37 days the number of patients reached 50 and it stood at 86 on June 4.

There are 11 and 14 cattle markets in Thakurgaon and Panchagarh, said the livestock officials concerned.

After the detection of Covid-19 patient in the respective district, the local administration put lockdown. Accordingly, the cattle markets were closed too.

As per a government decision, the district administrations recently gave permission to open markets including those selling cattle.

During recent visits to different cattle markets in the two districts, this correspondent saw that people hardly bothered to maintain social or physical distancing and personal hygiene.

Most of the people did not wear face masks while many of those wore masks kept their noses uncovered.

Md Shakil Ahmed of Thakurgaon municipality came to Khochabari Haat (cattle market) in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila on Saturday to buy a goat but he did not enter the spot fearing infection of Covid-19 as there was huge gathering of people and they did not bother to maintain social distancing or hygiene.

Khashiur Rahman, 47, a teacher of local high school, who came to Lahiri Haat in Thakurgaon's Baliadangi upazila, said, "I came to buy a calf for rearing. But seeing the huge crowd and their careless movement in the area, I returning home, fearing infection."

Zamal Mia, a cattle trader from Narayanganj, said he came to Lahiri Haat to buy some cattle after about two months.

Like many others, he was without any face mask.

Gonesh Ghosh, lessee of Khochabari Haat, said, "We are trying to maintain social distancing but people do not bother."

Deputy Commissioner of Thakurgaon KM Kamruzzaman Selilm said the cattle markets were opened after about two months for the sake of keeping rural economy active.

The district's Civil Surgeon Dr Mahfuzar Rahman Sarker said, "As Covid-19 sees community transmission at an alarming rate, utmost priority should be given to public health issues while running the economic activities."

Abdul Mazid, district livestock officer of Panchagarh, said, "We will discuss with the administration how to maintain social distancing in the cattle markets to check the spread Covid-19 and action will be taken accordingly."