With the Eid of sacrifice approaching, a huge bull weighing 29 maunds has become a talking point in Barishal. Because it is bigger than all the other bulls, it has been named 'Titanic'. The asking price is Tk 8 lakh.

The bull has been raised at MEP Agro Farm in the Rampatti Bazar area of Babuganj upazila, Barishal.

A visit to the farm found about 300 cattle being raised there, with 13 employees to look after them. One employee is assigned solely to the care of the giant 'Titanic'.

Ashraful Islam, who looks after Titanic, said: "Tk 1,400 a day is spent on Titanic. The bull is being raised entirely by natural methods. Every day it is given a mixed feed including rice bran, broken wheat and maize. I have to bathe it twice a day, look after it and see to its regular care, among other things."

Rafiur Rahman Omi, in charge of MEP Agro Farm, told Jagonews24 the bull was brought to the farm right after last year's Eid of sacrifice, when it weighed about 500 kg. It now weighs 1,150 kg (about 29 maunds). Earlier Tk 800-900 a day was spent on it, but now the cost is about Tk 1,500 a day.

Omi said it is a Friesian bull, named 'Titanic' mainly because of its huge body. Many people come to the farm every day to see it, and it will be sold if the price reaches Tk 8 lakh.

According to the district livestock department, the demand for sacrificial animals in Barishal division this year is 400,247.

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