With a day remaining for Eid-ul-Azha, sales of sacrificial animals at Bagerhat cattle markets gained momentum on Friday.

Buyers, traders and middlemen from different parts of the country and neighboring districts are thronging different cattle markets of the district.

The Betaga cattle market at Fakirhat upazila has been crowded since Friday morning as thousands of cows of different sizes of domestic and foreign breeds have been brought to the market. Cattles will be sold at this market till late at night.

However, buyers alleged that the price of cattle is on average much higher than last year.

Visiting the playground of Foylahat Kamal Uddin Secondary School in Rampal upazila on Thursday afternoon, this UNB correspondent found cows were being unloaded from trucks and pickups at the makeshift market.

Khulna’s Niamul Islam, who brought two of the famous Holstein breed cows at Foylahat for sale, said he has set up a cattle farm at his home for the last three years.  He fixed the price of the iconic Holstein Friesian cow, also popular locally as 'Australian Cow', weighing 14 maunds, at Tk 5.20 lakh. However, the buyers have offered Tk 4.50 lakh.

Meanwhile, Russell Gazi, a would-be buyer from Rampal upazila, said the price is very high this year. “We are struggling to buy a cow within my budget.”

Cattle traders and farmers said increased price of fodder p has made them fix their cattle’s price at a higher rate.

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“Our labour will go in vain if we don’t get a reasonable price by selling the cattle,” they added.

Gazi Akhtaruzzaman, the lessee of Faylahat, said that six to seven thousand cows have been brought to the market for sale. There are also a few thousand goats. Farmers and traders from different districts including Bagerhat, Khulna, Satkhira and Jashore have brought their cows to the market.

CCTV cameras have been installed in the market for the convenience of both buyers and sellers. Besides, the rent is being collected in accordance with the government rules, he added.

Bagerhat District Livestock Officer Lutfar Rahman said 50,000 cows and 70,000 goats are ready to be sold in the district this year ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.

Bagerhat Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Azizur Rahman said eighteen haats (makeshift cattle markets) were set up in Bagerhat. Also machines have been set up to detect counterfeit notes at the cattle market.