Bullock carts and horse carts on village roads are nothing new. But a "goat cart"? Surprising as it sounds, just such an unusual vehicle has been seen in Lalmonirhat. On 12 February, amid the bustle of polling day, voters and local people in the Durgapur Dighaltari area watched in surprise as a goat pulled a small cart with children sitting in the passenger seats.

Built out of a father's ingenuity and love to make his children smile, the vehicle is now the talk of the whole area. Khorshed Alam is a young man from Durgapur Dighaltari in Aditmari upazila of Lalmonirhat. Besides his work, he loves spending time with his children. At home he raises two goats, caring for them like his own children. The problem was that when he went out with the children he wanted to take the goats along too, but that looked odd.

Khorshed Alam wondered whether he could make something that would let him take both the children and the goats out together. From that idea he used his own skill to build this special cart, using his pet goats instead of an engine for "horsepower".

The cart is built on a light frame with two small passenger seats. At the front there is a special arrangement for controlling the two goats. Father Khorshed Alam holds the reins, while his young child sits in the back seat directing the goats with a small stick, as on a horse cart.

There were more people on the roads on polling day, 12 February, and many stopped in their tracks at the sight. Local resident Alam said in amazement: "I have seen carts pulled by cows or buffaloes in Bangladesh, but a cart driven or passengers pulled by goats is completely new to me. The way Khorshed has used his skill to tame the goats and make them drivers really deserves praise."

Another neighbour, Al Amin, said: "Today I saw a sight like this for the first time. The man who built the cart thinks differently. His talent should be valued so that he can make more new things in future."

Inventor Khorshed Alam said: "I built the cart so that the goats suffer no physical hardship and are not hurt anywhere. It is balanced so that only light pressure falls on them. The goats are also fed nutritious food on a regular routine so that their strength holds up." When he takes it out, people stare in surprise, some take photographs and some make videos. But for Khorshed Alam the bigger reward is his children's joy.

"People are amazed when they see it, but I like it. Instead of sitting at home I can go out with the children, and they enjoy it. That is my fulfilment," he said.

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