It has two very long ears. Its head is a mix of black and white, with a round black ring just below the neck. The rest of the body is white, decorated in places with henna. Its four legs are black and white. This is a goat, about the size of a small cow, and its name is 'Tiger'. Sultan Mahmud has brought it from Naogaon to the Bhatara 100 Feet cattle market in Dhaka for Eid-ul-Azha. The 100kg goat is priced at Tk 1 lakh 70 thousand.

At the market on Thursday, 5 June, curious crowds surrounded the goat. Many were taking photos and videos standing beside it, and some joked that it was bigger than the 'Matiur goat'.

While visitors filmed and joked, the owner looked worried. He has been at the market with the goat for a week but has not been able to sell it.

Early on, some buyers offered up to Tk 1 lakh 20 thousand, but Sultan Mahmud turned the offers down, hoping to sell for Tk 1.5 lakh. On Wednesday and Thursday (4-5 June) no one made an offer at all. Now he wants to sell if he gets Tk 1 lakh 30 thousand.

"This is our own household goat. I have raised it for three years and brought it to Dhaka hoping for a good price. I came to this market last Thursday (29 May). I am asking Tk 1 lakh 70 thousand. At first several people offered Tk 1 lakh 20 [thousand], and I thought then that I could sell it for over Tk 1.5 lakh, so I did not sell. But for two days nobody has made an offer. Everyone walks around, hears the price and leaves. Some take photos," Sultan Mahmud said.

He said the goat was born to a doe they kept at home. "We raised it with a lot of care. I named it 'Tiger' for fun, and put henna on different parts so it would look like a tiger. It eats maize, anchor dal and bran. I weighed it live and it is almost 100kg."

Asked what he would do now, and at what price he would sell, he said: "It seems I made a mistake by not selling early. Many offered Tk 1 lakh 20 thousand at first. They might have taken it at Tk 1 lakh 30 thousand. But I thought I would get more than Tk 1.5 lakh. Now I am not getting even that. I will sell now for Tk 1 lakh 30 thousand."

Jewel Rana, who was taking photos with the goat, said: "It may be a goat, but it is almost the size of a cow. I have never seen such a big goat before, so I took some pictures with it. I will show them to my friends."

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