Dhaka's two city corporations have finalised the leases of 16 temporary cattle markets in the capital for Eid-ul-Azha. Farmers and traders have started bringing animals to them from districts across the country, but trade has not yet picked up. Many visitors are walking around, looking at animals and bargaining.

Of the 16 finalised temporary markets, six will be in the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) area and 10 in the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC). There are also two permanent markets, the DNCC's Gabtali and the DSCC's Sarulia, where cattle, buffaloes and goats are sold regularly. But sacrificial animal sales have not begun there either.

Eid-ul-Azha will be celebrated on 17 June, leaving only seven days. Sellers at Dhaka's permanent and temporary markets said on Sunday, 9 June, that sales in Dhaka usually get going in earnest two or three days before Eid. Most of those coming now are looking at animals, and some are bargaining. Small and medium cattle are again buyers' favourites this year.

This year the DNCC and DSCC invited tenders to lease a total of 20 markets: the DNCC wanted nine including the permanent Gabtali market, and the DSCC 11 including the permanent Sarulia market. But the number of temporary markets fell somewhat for various reasons, including High Court directives. Both city corporations invited tenders for a market at Aftabnagar, but that has been halted on the order of the higher court.

The DNCC's six temporary markets will be on vacant land next to Sectors 16 and 18 at Uttara Diabari; vacant land next to Dhaka Polytechnic Institute in Tejgaon; the Khilkhet Mastul checkpost and adjacent vacant land at Paschimpara; vacant land next to Mirpur Section-6 (Eastern Housing); vacant land beside the Sutivola canal at Bhatara; and the Mohammadpur Bosila cattle market. The DNCC has finalised the leases and issued work orders to the lessees. The lease of the permanent Gabtali cattle market has also been finalised.

Md Hossain Khan, lessee of the market on the vacant land near Dhaka Polytechnic Institute in Tejgaon, said animals had started arriving a week earlier. Traders bring cattle every day by truck and pickup van from various parts of the country, and the market has all the arrangements to keep them. "But sales have not started yet. Many people are walking around looking at cattle and bargaining. I hope sales will start two or three days before Eid," he told Jagonews24.

DNCC public relations officer Maqbul Hossain told Jagonews24 that the DNCC's estate department had so far finalised the leases of seven markets, including the permanent Gabtali market. The lease process for a market on the vacant land next to Sahib Ari Madrasa at Bhatulia in Uttara was under way and he hoped it would be finalised soon.

The DSCC's 10 temporary markets will be on vacant land next to the Institute of Leather Technology College in Hazaribagh; next to Meradia Bazar in Khilgaon; near Rahmatganj Club; next to the Moitri Sangha Club at Khilgaon Railgate Bazar in North Shahjahanpur; next to the Postogola crematorium ghat; next to Donia College on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway; next to the Dholaikhal truck terminal; around Amulia Model Town; near the Shyampur Kadamtali truck stand; and next to Kamalapur Stadium. The DSCC has finalised these leases and issued work orders to the lessees.

DSCC estate officer Md Moniruzzaman told Jagonews24 that the leases of the DSCC's 10 markets had been finalised and work orders issued. The lessees were now preparing the markets, and the DSCC was also preparing to run them smoothly.

On Sunday, 9 June, hundreds of cattle were seen tied under bamboo poles and awnings on open land in front of Donia College, on the north side of the Dhaka-Chattogram highway. The market stretched from Jatrabari kitchen market almost to Shonir Akhra. Traders were bringing cattle by truck and pickup from all over the country, but the market had not yet picked up, though many were seen bargaining. The picture was much the same at the Dholaikhal and Rahmatganj markets.

Alamgir Hossain brought eight cattle to the Donia College market last Friday, 7 June. "Sales have not started, but many people are asking prices. Some are taking photos of the animals on their phones. Sales mainly happen a day or two before Eid," he told Jagonews24.

Azgar Ali from Faridpur has tied four cattle to bamboo posts in front of the Sadeque Hossain Khoka field at Dholaikhal. He said he brings cattle to this market every year and has done so again, and he hopes the market will be good.

Manjurul Haque went from his home in Narinda to the Dholaikhal market to look at cattle. "Every year I buy my sacrificial animal on the night before Eid, and I will again this year. But I have come now to find out what prices are like," he told Jagonews24. "Cattle prices are rising every year and we are forced to pay more. If this goes on, sacrificial animals will be out of reach."

Under section 3(2) and the first schedule of the Local Government (City Corporation) Act 2009, Aftabnagar (Eastern Housing) falls under Ward 37 of Badda police station, which is part of the DNCC. But this year both the DNCC and DSCC separately issued lease notices for a cattle market at Aftabnagar.

Mohammad Alamgir Hossain Dhali and SM Kamal, president and general secretary of the Jahurul Islam City Society (Aftabnagar Society), then filed a writ petition in the High Court challenging both notices and highlighting the public suffering a market would cause. The local government secretary, the DNCC, the DSCC and others were made respondents.

After a hearing on 8 May, a High Court bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque stayed the lease notices for a cattle market at Aftabnagar. On 3 June the Appellate Division upheld the High Court order. As a result, DNCC public relations officer Maqbul Hossain and DSCC estate officer Md Moniruzzaman said there would be no cattle market at Aftabnagar this Eid.

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