The final days of sacrificial animal trading are under way in Pabna, but market management committees are accused of collecting excess hasil, the market toll. At some markets more than double the rate is being taken, with buyers and sellers held hostage. Victims are angry, but there is little oversight from the administration.

According to sources concerned, the hasil at the district's cattle markets has been fixed at Tk 650 for a large cow and Tk 440 for a small one. Likewise, it is Tk 750 for a buffalo, Tk 240 for a large goat and Tk 180 for a small goat. But no market management committee is following the directive.

At Hajirhat in Pabna town on Tuesday, 3 June, the army was seen announcing by loudspeaker at the start of the market that no hasil above the government rate could be collected. But shortly after the army's operation team left, excess collection began again. Tk 650 was being taken even on small cattle against the Tk 440 rate, and much more than the set rate for large cattle and goats.

Rahimuddin, who came to buy a calf, told Jago News: "I bought a very small calf to rear, for less than Tk 50,000. When I went to get the receipt, they took Tk 650. Yet in the morning they themselves announced in front of the administration that small cattle were Tk 440. Now the administration is not here, so they are taking more again."

Visits to various markets, including Tarabaria Madrasa Hat in Sadar upazila, the Bera C&B private market and the Ekdanta cattle market in Atgharia upazila, found that no one was following the government directive; instead double hasil was being collected. At Tarabaria Madrasa Hat, Tk 1,200 was being taken for large cattle against Tk 650, Tk 1,000 for small cattle against Tk 440, and Tk 500-600 for goats against Tk 240.

Likewise, Tk 1,000 per cow was being taken at the Ekdanta market in Atgharia and the Bera C&B private market. Not only at these, but at most markets in the district, including Hajirhat and Pushpapara in the district town and Aronkola in Ishwardi, buyers and sellers are being held hostage and charged almost double hasil.

Describing his experience after buying a cow for Tk 1.2 lakh, a buyer named Meser Uddin at Tarabaria Madrasa Hat said: "The cow isn't even Tk 1.5 lakh, yet the hasil taken was Tk 1,200. I came from Ataikula to buy a cow for sacrifice and was practically robbed."

"They say the government has fixed a rate, but I saw no sign of it at this market. In the name of khajna (hasil) they are looting money from whoever they can, however they can," he said.

Bulbul Ahmed, who bought a cow at the same market, told Jago News angrily: "The cow cost Tk 40,700, yet I had to pay Tk 1,200 in toll. It isn't only us buyers paying; they are taking Tk 100, 200 or 300 from sellers too, whatever they can get."

Hashem, Fazar, Ranu and others who came to buy cattle at the Bera C&B private market said that even for cattle priced under Tk 1 lakh they had to pay Tk 1,000-1,200 in hasil.

Buyers and sellers at other markets, including Ekdanta in Atgharia, Aronkola in Ishwardi and Pushpapara in Sadar, described similar experiences. They said there was no minimum order at any market, those running the markets were collecting hasil as they pleased, and double money was being taken on everything from cattle to goats.

Roiz Uddin Biswas, lessee of Tarabaria Madrasa Hat, told Jago News: "We took the lease from the government for crores of taka. If we don't take more, we won't recover the market's money. And during Eid we have to take a little more. We don't take it all year."

According to the district livestock department, the district has 25 legal cattle markets this year, 18 permanent and seven temporary: four in Sadar, three in Ishwardi, two in Atgharia, two in Chatmohar, one in Bhangura, one in Faridpur, five in Santhia, three in Bera and four in Sujanagar.

District livestock officer Dr AKSM Musharraf Hossain said they were regularly keeping track of the markets, and work to maintain order was under way with the help of the local administration.

Acting Deputy Commissioner Md Jahangir Alam said the markets were being regularly monitored through UNOs and executive magistrates, and there was no scope to collect extra money.

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