With Eid-ul-Azha approaching, Bogura's sacrificial cattle markets are no longer just places to buy and sell animals; they have become arenas of political influence, syndicate control and economic stakes worth crores of taka. Leaders and activists of the BNP and its affiliated organisations have been the most active around the leasing of the district's big cattle markets this year.

They are accused of "managing" rival bidders, applying pressure in some places and submitting single tenders in others to bring markets worth crores under their control.

According to visits to several upazilas and sources at the deputy commissioner's office, 64 permanent and 21 temporary cattle markets in Bogura have been put up for lease this year. There was competition for a few of the large markets, but in most medium and small ones local political syndicates have in effect established sole control. The markets in Nandigram, Dupchanchia, Sherpur and Mahasthan are the most talked about.

Omarpur, one of the biggest cattle markets in Nandigram upazila, has been leased this year for Tk 1 crore 88 lakh 500 to Mostafizar Rahman Tarek, general secretary of the upazila Chhatra Dal and owner of Messrs Tabassum Traders. Last year he took the market through much the same process for Tk 1 crore 86 lakh 500. Besides Tarek, two others bought tender documents this year: Rezaul Karim, joint organising secretary of Nandigram municipal BNP, and Shafiqul Islam Shiru, a BNP-supporting businessman from Sherpur upazila. In the end neither submitted a bid.

Tarek is alleged to have "managed" them and submitted a single tender, and he admitted as much. "Three of us, including me, bought schedules. Then I talked to the other two, managed it, and submitted the schedule alone," he said.

Nandigram Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sharmin Ara said only one tender was submitted for the market, but since the bid matched the government price, the lease was given according to the rules. She said she knew nothing about why the others had not submitted bids.

Local traders allege that such "understandings" are now reached at almost every big market. Competition appears open, but at the last moment rivals are forced out and a known group takes control.

Similar allegations surround several markets in Dupchanchia upazila. Mozaffar Hossain, vice-president of Gobindapur union BNP, won the upazila's Saharpukur market with a single tender for just Tk 13 lakh 97 thousand. Last year the upazila administration collected tolls there directly because the bids were too low.

Local people allege that nobody else was allowed to buy tender documents this time and that the market had been earmarked for one person from the start. Mozaffar Hossain said: "I did not stop anyone. The market was given to me by party decision, and the bid was not low. If nobody else takes part in the leasing process, there is nothing I can do."

Altafnagar market in the same upazila was leased for Tk 4 lakh 83 thousand in the name of Mokhlesar Rahman Babu, a member of the convening committee of Dupchanchia upazila Jubo Dal, although it fetched Tk 5 lakh 50 thousand in the last financial year.

Chaumuhani Hat was leased for Tk 28 lakh 61 thousand 750 to Rustam Ali Hero, vice-president of Gobindapur union BNP; last year's lease was Tk 28 lakh 32 thousand. Mostafapur Hat in Chamrul union was leased for Tk 96,666 in the name of BNP supporter Nur Mondal, against Tk 1 lakh 1 thousand 500 in the last financial year. Although lease values fell at some markets, raising questions locally, the upazila administration has issued the lease letters.

Local people say the allocations were secured by controlling tenders through political influence and deals.

Shahrukh Khan, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer, told journalists there was nothing they could do if no other tenders were submitted. Each market received one bid, which was vetted and approved; there was no irregularity, and if anyone was "managed" outside, they would not know about it.

For Dhaperhati, the upazila's biggest cattle market, the administration took a different decision. Local sources said the expected lease value was about Tk 8 crore, but bids reached only about Tk 5 crore, so the administration decided to collect tolls directly instead of leasing it. People involved with the market say the bid fell short because the big syndicates could not reach an understanding.

Mahasthan, one of the largest markets in the northern region, is among Bogura's most talked-about cattle markets, with transactions worth crores every year. Last year it was leased for Tk 7 crore 28 lakh to Taherul Islam, president of Raynagar union BNP. This year it has been leased for Tk 9 crore 31 lakh to Ashraful Islam Shahadat, a local Jatiya Party leader.

Taherul Islam said there was no party influence at the market. "I bid Tk 8 crore 1 lakh. Nobody besides Shahadat and me took part," he said.

Local people, however, say ordinary traders no longer dare to take part in the big markets, because a market now means political patronage, influence and vast financial control.

Several traders, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a big cattle market is not just about the lease value. There are separate transactions over cattle-truck entry, parking, toll collection, shop allocation, bamboo and lighting, food stalls and even night security, running to several crores of taka. Whoever controls the market controls the whole collection process, and without a political identity it is now impossible to get into a big market, so ordinary traders are gradually being pushed out.

The local administration's role in leasing the big markets has been questioned. Single tenders were approved in several cases, and it is alleged that the administration took no effective action where bids came in below the expected value. Officials say leases are given according to government policy, and alternative arrangements are made where bids are low or there is no competition.

Nandigram UNO Sharmin Ara said single tenders are often the result of local understandings, but if a bid is not below the government-set price there is little scope to cancel it.

Law enforcement officials say there are plans to deploy extra police at the big markets. Bogura Superintendent of Police Mirza Sayem Mahmud said action will be taken on any complaint of grabbing or extortion around the markets.

Local people fear, however, that unless the syndicates that have grown under political patronage are controlled, violence and extortion around the Eid cattle markets could increase.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.