Nineteen temporary animal markets will be held in the two city corporation areas of Dhaka for the coming Eid-ul-Azha: 10 in the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) area and 9 in the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) area. Sacrificial animals will also be sold at DNCC's Gabtoli haat and DSCC's Sarulia haat.

Officials of the DNCC and DSCC said leases for most of the markets have already been finalised. Sacrificial animals can be bought and sold at the designated sites for five days in total, including Eid day.

Officials of the DSCC estate department said the corporation had invited tenders for temporary markets at 11 sites this year, including Aftabnagar and Meradia, but the Aftabnagar and Meradia markets were later suspended because of legal complications.

When tenders were opened in the first phase on 30 April, the DSCC got top bidders for markets on the open ground of the Uttar Shahjahanpur Moitri Sangha Club, the open riverbank west of the Postogola cremation ground, the open ground of Rahmatganj Club, the open space east of the Institute of Leather Technology College in Hazaribagh, and the open space north of Amulia Aligarh Model College.

For the open space south of the Sadeque Hossain Khoka field, the open space next to the Sadeque Hossain Khoka Community Centre in Kamalapur, the open space next to the Shyampur-Kadamtali truck stand and the open canal bank east of Meradia bazar, the DSCC received bids below the government price. But Nagar Bhaban has been locked for 14 days over the oath of BNP leader Ishraque Hossain, and because of the movement the DSCC cannot issue work orders to the top bidders or re-tender the remaining markets.

DSCC Estate Officer Hasiba Khan told Jagonews24 that, because of the movement, work orders could not be issued even for the markets that drew top bidders, and the corporation had yet to decide on the remaining four markets.

Asked how markets would be held if leasing could not be completed, DSCC Chief Executive Officer Zillur Rahman told Jagonews24: "We have already completed leases for five markets. Leases for the remaining four are pending. We hope to finish them before Eid."

Leases for the DNCC markets at Mastul in the 300 Feet area and the Tejgaon Polytechnic Institute area have been finalised. As the expected price was not offered, fresh tenders have been invited for the open space by Sutivola canal in Bhatara, Uttara Diabari, Mirpur Eastern Housing, Mohammadpur Bosila, Bhatulia Saheb Ali Madrasa and Kalshi Balur Math.

New lease tenders have also been invited for open spaces next to Kachukura bazar and Khilkhet bazar.

DNCC Estate Officer Farzana Khanam told Jagonews24 that the DNCC had received the expected price at most markets and that leasing of the Gabtoli haat was also under way. "I hope animal sales will begin at the markets on time," she said.

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