Bibirhat is Chattogram's second-largest animal market. It was once famous not only in the district but across the country. Even two years ago people came from far away to buy sacrificial animals here, and sellers came from all over Bangladesh. This year, however, the traditional market is "almost dead". There are hardly any buyers, leaving several hundred sellers who brought cattle from the northern region and elsewhere in trouble.

It is alleged that influential people led by the local councillor are holding the market. As a result, although tenders were invited three times, no trader showed interest in leasing it, and Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) stands to lose more than Tk 1.5 crore in revenue. Even the sellers who have come are in despair for lack of buyers.

Sarwar Alam, a resident of Muradpur, told Jagonews24: "I have seen the Eid market at Bibirhat since I was born. Lakhs of people came to this traditional market from Chattogram and beyond to buy and sell animals. Trading spilled out of the market over about two kilometres around it. But this time, with three days left before Eid-ul-Azha, there is no festive mood. Buyers and sellers are very few."

A visit to Bibirhat on Wednesday found at least 200 traders who had brought cattle from Chapainawabganj, Jashore, Kushtia, Cumilla and other parts of the country. But the market, which opened on Saturday, has seen almost no sales. Most traders were idling, and worry about losses showed on nearly every face.

Zayed Ali came to Bibirhat on Saturday from Nachole in Chapainawabganj with 21 cattle. In five days he has sold only one.

"I paid Tk 50,000 to 'buy a post' and now I am sitting here with my cattle," Zayed Ali told Jagonews24. "Since Saturday I have sold only one. Few buyers are coming, so sales are low. Tuesday was market day here, but only ten cattle were sold in the whole market."

Atikur Rahman brought cattle from Chandina in Cumilla. "I brought 20 cattle. There are still no buyers. The one or two who come offer very low prices. We are in trouble here. Having paid for the post, we can't even leave," he said.

Sellers alleged that those running the market collected post and ground rent from traders but did not carry out the expected publicity, which is why buyers are not coming. The main reason for the problems in managing the market, they said, is that it has no designated lessee.

The visit bore out the sellers' complaints. While other animal markets in Chattogram were publicised day and night and lit up, nothing of the kind was seen at Bibirhat. None of the government directives on animal markets was being carried out: a single path was being used for both entry and exit, and there were no measures to control the entry of elderly people and children.

Local residents and former lessees said that for two years councillor Md Mobarak Ali and his people have held Chattogram's second-largest animal market and built their own circle of influence there. He has rented space in the market, next to his own office, to several agro farms, helped by some dishonest CCC officials. So while the government loses revenue, those officials' pockets are getting heavier.

On the market grounds, Khaja Garibe Newaz Dairy Farm, Hazrat Salimullah Shah Dairy Farm and M/s Samir and Samira Agro Farm were seen doing business. Space in the city corporation's market has been rented out to these traders in this way. Because one party is based inside the market, running it has become impossible for any other lessee, so no one else is interested in taking the lease.

Unable to find a lessee, the city corporation has given the job of "looking after" the market to the same councillor. In this way, the report says, the appointment of a lessee at Bibirhat is being skilfully blocked so that the city's second-largest market stays in his grip.

Asked why a cattle market had been rented to agro farms, CCC Assistant Estate Officer Abdullah Al Mamun told Jagonews24: "What can we do if we don't get a lessee? Our target is to collect revenue, by whatever means. Besides, the government is encouraging agro farms."

In 2023, after road and bridge development work began in Muradpur, the Muradpur–Oxygen road was closed for about six months, and no lessee could be appointed that year. Under the rules, the market's minimum price for 2023 should have been Tk 2,27,96,777. With no lessee, the CCC decided to collect revenue directly (khas collection) and gave the job to Mobarak Ali, councillor of Ward 7, West Sholashahar. Taking advantage of this situation, councillor Mobarak Ali took control of the Bibirhat cattle market, and every aspect of its management passed into his hands. This year too, the ward councillor was given the task of "looking after" the market, largely out of necessity.

A former lessee, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Jagonews24 that Bibirhat is now hostage to the local councillor and his people, and that no outside trader could run it. He said the councillor was deliberately keeping the traditional market lifeless so that it would not slip out of his circle.

He added that even if someone took the lease, it would be impossible to run the market while facing local thugs, so no one wanted to walk knowingly into a loss.

According to the Chattogram City Corporation, the Bibirhat animal market in Muradpur was inaugurated in 2001 by the then city mayor, the late Mohiuddin Chowdhury. For 22 years in a row the city corporation collected revenue by appointing lessees regularly.

In 2020 the Bibirhat cattle market was leased for Tk 1.65 crore. The following year it was leased for Tk 1.65 crore. In 2022 it was leased for Tk 2.14 crore. But for two years the city corporation has found no lessee. This year too, three attempts failed, so the market was handed over to the local councillor.

In 2023 councillor Md Mobarak reached a settlement with the city corporation for only Tk 50 lakh. This year the figure has reportedly been set at Tk 60 lakh. Against that, each seller is being charged Tk 40,000 to 50,000 in market rent, and buyers are being charged a 5 per cent levy (hasil).

Asked about this, councillor Md Mobarak Ali told Jagonews24: "We have not rented the market to anyone. Those here now are the market's permanent sellers. I don't know why lessees are not taking the lease. But the city corporation has given me responsibility for looking after the market. I am only trying to help the city corporation."

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