Around 178,000 heads of cattle are ready for sacrifice in Kushtia ahead of the Holy Eid-ul-Azha. The market of sacrificial animals has started drawing sellers and buyers on the occasion of upcoming Eid-ul-Azha.
Kushtia District Livestock Officer Md Siddiqur Rahman said, on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha, 178000 heads of cattle, including 71000 cows and more than 1 lakh goats, are ready for sacrifice in the district.
“There are big cows in different farms. We are always in contact with the farmers on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha. We have been providing all kinds of support,” he added.
Big cows of various sizes have caught everyone’s attention. One of those that caught everyone’s attention in Kushtia’s sacrificial animal market this year is ‘Rajababu’.
Farmer Sharmin Akhter Eti, owner of the black colored ‘Rajababu’, is asking the price of Taka 8 lakh for 880-kilogram bull.
Sharmin Akhter Eti, wife of Dubai expatriate Shahabul Islam Santu, resident of Ramakrishnapur village of Mokarrampur union of Bendramara upazila of the district, has prepared Rajababu for sale on the occasion of upcoming Eid-ul-Azha.
Rajababu need food worth Taka 600 every day. People from different areas are flocking to see the cow every day. Farmer Eti said, “I bought the bull of Friesian Shahiwal cross breed in January 2021 for Taka 75000.”
‘Rajababu’ is five feet tall and seven feet long. “I am feeding the bull with grass and grain from the beginning and it eats grass most of the time. I grow grass myself. Besides, other foods include wheat, chickpea and corn husk,” said Eti.
“Rajababu is very calm. I have raised it like a child and now it is prepared for sale as a sacrificial animal. I want the price of Taka 8 lakh. Because of Rajababu’s attractive name and large size, people are thronging my house every day to see the bull,” added Sharmin Akhter Eti.
It the bull can be sold for Taka 8 lakh, there will be some profit, she said, adding many traders have already approached to buy the bull but none offered the expected price. “If I can sell it at a good price, my efforts will be worth it”.
“Rajababu eats grass in the morning every day. In the afternoon, we give food with corn flour, rice flour, oilcake, wheat flour, gram flour, molasses and water. In the afternoon and at night I give grass and water. The bull bathes every morning and afternoon” said Eti.
In response to a question, she said: “I started raising cows as a hobby. But now I want to have a cow farm. This is my dream.”
Ambia Begum, mother of farmer Eti, said, “My daughter bought this cow as a calf a few years ago. From the beginning, Rajababu was treated like her own child. My daughter’s dream is to have a cow farm. She works hard for Rajababu.” Neighbors of the Sharmin Akhter Eti said that Eti is a very hardworking woman.
