By profession he is a busy lawyer. Beyond the courtroom and legal papers he has another world, as a successful farmer. Out of a hobby, he turned unused land into a large farming enterprise with fish, pigeons and various crops as well as a cattle farm. For 25-30 years he has been carefully preparing animals for Eid-ul-Azha. This Eid, though, a huge bull, affectionately named "Zayed Khan", has stolen all the attention on his farm.

The striking bull can be seen at the farm of lawyer Mazmul Pramanik in the Dauljor area of Aditmari upazila, Lalmonirhat. People involved say it is so far the largest animal in Lalmonirhat district ahead of the coming Eid.

The bull has a striking mix of white and black. This Burma-breed bull is as handsome as it is bad-tempered. Measured with tape, it stands about 5.5 feet tall and is 9 feet long, with a girth of close to 6 feet. When it stands there, many people crowd round to catch a glimpse. It has not yet been weighed, but experienced cattle traders and wholesalers who have visited the farm estimate from its size that it would easily yield 26 to 27 maunds of net meat.

The bull was born through artificial insemination of another breed of cow with improved-breed semen, and has been raised with care. For the past five and a half years it has been reared entirely by local and natural methods, brought to this stage on nutritious feed without any harmful drugs.

Its huge body means it eats a lot. Its daily diet includes highly nutritious concentrate feed, wheat bran, fresh green grass and straw. It needs three kilograms of concentrate at a single meal. Two experienced people on the farm look after "Zayed Khan" round the clock.

Although the farm has cattle of many other breeds, only this one animal has been prepared for sale this Eid. The asking price is Tk 12 lakh. Buyers will have to come to the farm, as the bull will not be taken to any cattle market.

Nobur Ali, the bull's main caretaker, said: "For more than five and a half years we have raised this bull like our own child. Everyone on the farm named it 'Zayed Khan' for fun. This Burma breed is big and also eats a lot. We are asking about Tk 12 lakh for it this year."

He said that such a huge, heavy animal could be injured at any time if taken to a market, and it could become exhausted and lose weight in the heat and crowds. "So anyone who wants to buy it will have to come to our farm," he said.

Farm owner and lawyer Mazmul Pramanik said proudly: "We always have many cattle on our farm, but this time 'Zayed Khan' stands out and is very attractive. According to the wholesalers, it will yield 26 to 27 maunds of meat. We have prepared this animal specially for this Eid."

He added: "We are strongly hopeful that in size and weight this is the best and biggest animal in the whole of Lalmonirhat district this year."

As Eid-ul-Azha draws near, curiosity among buyers and visitors about "Zayed Khan" in Dauljor, Aditmari, is growing. It remains to be seen whose sacrifice the Tk 12 lakh bull will finally become.

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