Country has 21 lakh sacrificial animals
Staff Reporter :
Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim on Wednesdaysaid that the country is experiencing a surplus of sacrificial animals, in this Eid-ul-Azha.
“There is no shortage of sacrificial animal in the country now. The total number of cattle available for sacrifice this year is 1,25,36,333, which is 4,11,944 more than the previous year,” the minister said during the inter-ministerial meeting yesterday at the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock in the secretariat.
He further said that the estimated demand for sacrificial animals this year is 1,03,94,739, that means there are surplus of 21,41,594 animals in our stock now.
The minister said that among those sacrificial animals Dhaka division with 895,454, Chattogram division 20,53,128, Rajshahi division 45,11,614, Khulna division with 15,11,708, Barisal division with 4,93,206, Sylhet division 4,10,225, Rangpur division 19,62,951, and Mymensingh division 6,98,047 sacrificial cattle in stock.
Rezaul Karim emphasised that the country’s livestock production has increased significantly, making it self-sufficient and not reliant on imported animals.
“We will be able to meet the demand for sacrificial animals by domestically produced livestock. There will be no need to rely on importing animals,” he said.
The minister assured that no diseased or sick animals would be allowed for sale in the sacrificial cattle market. Similar to the previous year, veterinary medical teams will be deployed in animal markets nationwide to enforce this measure, he said.
He said that to facilitate farmers, 999 helpline will assist farmers in selling their sacrificial animals in the market as per their choice, preventing any forceful transportation of animals along the roads. Local law enforcement agencies will be responsible for implementing necessary measures in this regard.
The minister said over revenue collection that If a farmer sells animals from their farm, no revenue will be collected from them.
“Similarly, if a farmer sells animals from their residence, they will not be required to pay any proceeds,” he said. “In the same way, if someone sells animals while on their way to the market, the lessee collector will not be authorised to forcibly collect payment or revenue from them,” he said.
Meanwhile, Additional DIG Shahabuddin Khan said that stopping cattle laden truck in highway would not be tolerated.
The Additional DIG said this at a meeting over keeping highways free from grid lock during the Eid-ul-Azha in the Armed Police Battalian (APBn) Headquarters in Uttara in the capital on Wednesday.
