Ahead of the Eid of sacrifice, a Holstein-Friesian bull named Rajababu has become the talk of Shibganj in Chapainawabganj. The bull, weighing an estimated 40 maunds, got his name from the way he walks and the kind of food he eats. Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall, he is also very heavily built.

The huge bull belongs to Julfikar Ali, a former member of Shahbajpur union parishad in the upazila. Curious crowds come to his house every day from far and near to see the bull, and he is asking Tk 20 lakh for it.

Several people who came to see Rajababu, including Jasmin Khatun and Azharul Islam, said: "There is no bull this big anywhere in our area, so we came to see it. We have never seen such a big sacrificial bull before."

Owner Julfikar Ali said traders from different parts of the country have already come to see the bull ahead of Eid. Each has named a different price, but no one has yet offered the price he wants. He had planned to send the bull to a market in Chattogram if he did not get the price locally, but he has been ill for a few days, so he will sell it here even if the price is a little lower.

He added that he bought the bull a year ago for Tk 5 lakh from Bholahat upazila in the district. Since then he has raised it naturally, without any drugs. The bull now weighs about 40 maunds, and he is asking Tk 20 lakh.

Shibganj upazila livestock officer Dr Shahadat Hossain said Rajababu is the biggest bull in the district, and the livestock office will do everything it can to help sell it.

Last year the same farmer raised a black bull named Samrat, which weighed about 32 maunds.

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