Despite surplus, cattle smuggling on ahead of Eid
There's hardly a month left to celebrate Eid-ul Azha.
The government has already assured that the number of sacrificial animals will be 20 lakh more than the demand. Despite this, cattle smuggling continues unabated through the bordering districts.
The borders along Myanmar are no different, despite the ongoing conflict in the neighbouring country.
Dozens of cattle have entered through Fultali, Lambasia, Bear Khaiya, and Chakdala of Bandarban's Naikhongchhari and Cox's Bazar's Ramu recently, said locals.
Nurul Afsar, chairman of the Naikhongchari Sadar Union, told The Daily Star, "Cattle are regularly being smuggled from Myanmar to Bangladesh."
"On May 12, a Bangladeshi youth Abul Kalam, 28, was killed while smuggling cattle. Since then, smuggling has stopped [for a while]," Afsar added.
The next day, Amzed Ali, 30, was shot at the Putkhali border in Benapole while smuggling cattle into Bangladesh from India.
On April 27, the Sylhet Metropolitan Police seized 18 Indian cows along with three pickups. Three cattle traders -- Jasim Uddin, 35, Rohish Mia, 39, and Sadek Mia, 42 -- were arrested.
Abdul Awal, a livestock farmer in the Keraniganj area, said they have sufficient sacrificial animals. "But the price will drop if cattle are smuggled from neighboring countries. If smuggling is not prevented, then local farmers will count losses," he said.
Meanwhile, the Fisheries and Livestock Minister Abdur Rahman yesterday said necessary instructions will be issued in the bordering districts to stop cattle smuggling.
The minister came up with the remark after attending the inter-ministerial meeting on demand assessment, supply, and ensuring easy transportation of sacrificial animals ahead of Eid.
The expected supply of sacrificial animals this year is 129,803,367, which is 444,034 more than last year. Additionally, there are 22,779,973 more cattle available than the demand, the minister said.
Special measures will be taken to ensure that buyers and sellers are not subjected to undue harassment and sufficient manpower will be deployed to maintain law and order, he added.
The minister said that like the previous year, the system of selling sacrificial animals will continue across the country on online platforms to ease the sufferings of both buyers and sellers.
A control room (hot line-16358) will be operated from the Directorate of Livestock. If there is any problem in the cattle market, prompt action will be taken, said the minister.
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