Bangladesh cattle traders ready to make millions as cow supply from India dries up

With Eid-ul-Azha round the corner, no other development could have brought more happiness to Bangladeshi cattle traders.

They are rollicking at the prospect of making huge profits as home-bred cows are the only option in the market.

With the border sealed, they know the shortage of cows from India before the sacrificial festivity means that their cows are set to fetch them fortunes.

Border Guard Bangladesh Lt Col Ariful Rahman's words only confirm what the cattle traders want to hear.

He says the number of cows from India have dwindled much.

Putkhali barn lessee Nasir Reza Pintu said the Border Security Force of India has closed down all markets within an 8 km radius of the border.

This has made cows from India unavailable in the cattle markets adjoining North 24 Parganas, Papuahaat in Malda and other areas that traditionally served as cattle inlet for Bangladesh.

Ogrobhulat barn lessee Abdur Rashid perfectly summed up the mood in the barns.

"The barns have gone eerie silent in the absence of cows from India," he said.

Rashid says the Eid-ul-Azha draws scores of businessmen to these barns in search of cows before the festival.

But owing to shortage of cows from India, these barns have become forgotten territory for traders prior to the Eid.

The development has sent ripples of happiness to the country's cattle traders who are eyeing to milk millions from selling cows during the festive season.

"Due to cows coming in from India we had to count huge losses. This time cows aren't coming from India and we hope to make good profit," says Monwara Begum, a Sarsha Upazila barn owner.

Monwara hopes to sell each of her cows for more than Tk 100,000.

A tour to the barns reveals that all care including good food and healthcare are being provided to the cows there.

Putkhali usually is witness to huge number of buyers. Skirting the Benopale border, it is in this place that the largest barn of the area is located.

Some other barns are also located in the vicinity.

Nasir Uddin, the barn lessee, has 25 people to look after his 200 cows.

"We can make good profit after taking care of the animals for about six months. I have two barns now," he says excitedly as he, too, knows what the Eid ahead means in the absence of cows from India.

The Upazila's livestock resources official Joydeb Singha said, "The cows are fed and fattened in the barns here. The barn lessees are hoping for big profits this Eid".