A cow said to be suffering from rabies was slaughtered and its meat sold at Radhaganj bazar in Narsingdi's Raipura upazila, Ajker Patrika's Raipura correspondent reports. On Monday local people detained the cow's owner, Julhas, and meat trader Faruk Mia and took them to upazila nirbahi officer Masud Rana; the incident has alarmed meat buyers and residents.

Local sources said that when Julhas's cow fell ill with rabies, Rafiq, an AI technician and sub-assistant of the upazila livestock office, advised him to isolate the animal and neither sell nor slaughter it, and warned several local people as well. Julhas is alleged to have secretly sold the cow to Faruk Mia for Tk 60,000; it was slaughtered before dawn on Saturday and the meat sold at Radhaganj bazar to buyers who cooked and ate it unaware.

The matter came to light on Monday morning, after which residents including some of the buyers detained the two men. Whether the cow's rabies was confirmed by testing, and whether anyone who ate the meat faces a health risk, has not yet been established. Residents have demanded a proper investigation, legal action if the allegation is proved, and public-health awareness in the area.

Upazila livestock officer Mohammad Kamruzzaman said: "Because the cow had rabies, the owner was told to keep it apart and on no account to sell it. He (sub-assistant Rafiq) also made local people aware of the matter. But the owner sold the cow to a butcher. We learned of it later."

Raipura police officer-in-charge Md Mojibur Rahman said the matter falls under the livestock department's supervision and police will provide legal support if it lodges a complaint. UNO Masud Rana said any victim wishing to file a case has been advised to do so. For farmers the lesson is plain: an animal with a disease such as rabies must be isolated on the livestock office's advice, not sold or slaughtered.

Source: Ajker Patrika — Reporting: Raipura (Narsingdi) correspondent