No plans to import sacrificial animals ahead of Eid-ul-Azha: minister
Fisheries and Livestock Minister Md Abdur Rahman today said the government has no plan to import sacrificial animals ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha.
"There is no plan to import sacrificial animals. Rather, we have plans to encourage local farmers by standing by them so that they can produce more cattle," the minister said while talking to reporters after he attended a programme at the BCS (Livestock) Academy in Savar today.
He said the ministry has already chalked out a project with the Word Bank regarding encouraging the country's farmers to raise cattle farms.
He said to prevent various diseases of cattle, the country's veterinary hospitals will be modernised. "We have decided to import modern equipment for the veterinary hospitals to modernise those," added the minister.
Meanwhile, Fishery and Livestock Secretary Md Selim Uddin and Dr Md Reajul Huq, director general of Department of Livestock Services, and others were also present at the event.
While speaking at a press briefing held at the Secretariat today, the minister also said as many as 1.30 crore sacrificial animals will be ensured for the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha, reports UNB.
"Last year, we had a supply of 1.25 crore sacrificial animals and of these, 19 lakh remain unsold. But this year, the government is going to keep a supply of 1.30 crore sacrificial animals," he said.
All preparations have been taken ahead of Eid-ul-Azha and there is no crisis of sacrificial animals, he added.
Noting that the cattle market should remain stable, the minister said, "We have talked to the farmers so that the price of sacrificial animals is within the purchasing capacity of the people."
All arrangements and preparation were taken so that the market can't be unstable, he said.
Replying to a question about stopping extortion, the minister said "The middlemen or a syndicate remain active during the Eid-ul-Azha, making it difficult for us to tackle the situation. We will arrange an inter-ministerial meeting before Eid to address it in a right way to stop extortion by the middlemen and extortionists everywhere, on roads during transport."
Comments