Hoping for a good price, Biren brought a cow weighing 1,246 kilograms from Naogaon to the sacrificial animal market in the Bhatara 100 Feet area of the capital. People at the market called the black animal "Kalapahar". At first Tk 12 lakh was asked for it, then the price came down to Tk 10 lakh, and when that found no buyer, he tried to sell it for Tk 7 lakh. Buyers offered at most Tk 3.5 lakh. Disappointed at not getting the expected price, the owner is taking Kalapahar back home.

Speaking to Jago News by mobile phone on Friday (6 June) evening, Biren said: "I brought the cow to Dhaka with great hopes. My children are at home, and I told everyone I would sell the cow and say the Eid prayers at home. It takes about 12 hours to get home from Dhaka. As I couldn't sell the cow, I am taking a clearance from the market authorities and going back to Naogaon. Everyone at home is waiting to celebrate Eid together."

He said four of them, three brothers and a brother-in-law, had brought the cow. "It didn't sell. There's nothing to be done now; we have to go home. We will raise it for about two more months and then sell it, we hope."

Asked what buyers offered, he said: "We first asked Tk 12 lakh. Yesterday we asked Tk 10 lakh, and since this morning Tk 7 lakh. But buyers offer Tk 3 lakh, some Tk 3.5 lakh. Tell me, is it possible to sell this cow for Tk 3.5 lakh? If we sold at that price, we would have to sell our land to get by. You can't sell at such a loss. Anyway, there's nothing to be done. Everyone at home is waiting. Now I'll take the clearance and go home."

On Thursday, Biren had told Jago News that the cow's live weight was measured at 1,246 kilograms. They had been raising it for three and a half years, and its feed cost Tk 700 to 800 a day. He brought it to the market on Wednesday morning.

Next to where Biren was standing, Abu Taher of Mymensingh brought a white cow of the same size, which he named "Sadapahar". He had first asked Tk 12 lakh for it, but sold it for Tk 7 lakh on Thursday.

Referring to this, Biren said: "The white cow sold for Tk 7 lakh. Our cow will give 30 to 40 kilograms more meat than that one, yet we are being offered Tk 3.5 lakh. When buyers quote such prices, there is nothing to do but feel disappointed."

He added that the truck from Naogaon cost Tk 16,000, and he has arranged a truck for the return trip, which will cost another Tk 16,000. "On top of all the hardship of staying at the market, we now have to count this Tk 32,000 as a loss too."

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