Abul Hossain, a resident of the port city's Hamzarbagh area, bought a cow from the Sagarika cattle market for Tk 1.30 lakh. The trader Abdul Hannan received the full amount from the digital transaction booth of city corporation sitting in the market.

While visiting the cattle market, many like Abul are doing digital transactions at the cashless of "Smart Bangladesh Smart Haat" organised for the first time in Chattogram to avoid hassle.

Traders are also taking this as a positive initiative by the Bangladesh Bank and the city corporation.

More than 12 banks and mobile banking services are facilitating facilitate the service at two cattle markets in Sagorika and Nurnagar Housing areas.

Abul Hossain told The Daily Star, "I came to the market without cash when I learned about the digital initiative a few days ago."

Abdul Hannan, the seller, said, "Three of us from Dinajpur came to Chattogram with 27 cows. So far 14 cows have been sold. Among them I sold two of them digitally. I have been selling cattle at this market for the last 12 years. I used to keep the cash with me, which was quite risky."

Sagarika Cattle Market supervisor Anisur Rahman said the response they got this time is quite positive. It will become more popular in the years to come.

Mayor Rezaul Karim Chowdhury said, "This initiative has been taken to stop the fake money business centring Eid and make transactions between buyers and sellers safe and hassle free."