DHAKA, June 23, 2022 (BSS) - Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim today said the government is well-prepared to celebrate the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest religious festival of the Muslims, as there is no doubt of crisis or for sacrificing animals in Bangladesh.

"Like other years, the demand for sacrificial animals has been determined . . . The number of sacrificial animals is estimated to be one crore 21 lakh 24 thousand 389," he told an inter-ministerial meeting at the conference room of the Department of Livestock at Farm Gate here.

The minister added: "More animals are ready than the demand of this year. Besides, law enforcement agencies will be deployed at cattle market (Qurbanir Haat) to ensure proper security." 

Terming the Eid-ul-Azha as a very important chapter for the Muslims, he said the Fisheries and Livestock Ministry along with other government departments are working to ensure the celebration of the festival with ease and full preparation.

The minister said in the continuation of last year, if a farmer sells animals from his own house again, he will not have to pay. Besides, if a farmer wants to take his animal to a distant market, he cannot be forced to land on the road.

"In this case, the law enforcement authorities, local government units, like city corporations, municipalities, upazila parishads or union councils will ensure this. If someone sells the animal on the way to the market, no leaseholder will be allowed to collect extortion or profit from him (sellers)," he added.

The minister further said the government is well-aware of doing online cattle market so that buyers are not deceived in any way.

Rezaul also called upon the authorities concerned to ensure that the traffic is not affected on the highway or where the haat is set up. 

Preference will be given to vehicles carrying sacrificial animals on roads or bridges so that animals do not get stuck on the road and create artificial crisis, he mentioned.

"A control room will be set up in the Livestock Department in this connection. The 'hotline 16358' of the department will remain open. The control room will work to solve the problems of farmers in animal transport," the minister mentioned.
Secretary of Ministry Dr Muhammed Yamin Chowdhury, Additional Secretaries Shyamal Chandra Karmakar, Md Taufiqul Arif and SM Ferdous Alam, Divisional Commissioners, Director General of the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) Manzoor Mohammad Shahzada and senior officials of various ministries and two Dhaka City (South and North) Corporations were present.