From livestock to livestreams: At Bangladesh's Eid cattle markets, even cows now chase ‘reach’

The old theatre of the cattle market is still there -- the haggling, the shouting, the crowds -- but the real selling and the loudest call often begins on Facebook

The traditional cattle market is still noisy with haggling, shouting traders and the restless movement of animals. But ahead of this Eid-ul-Azha, another contest is taking place beyond the bamboo pens and muddy alleys: the battle for reach.

Across Bangladesh, farmers and traders are turning sacrificial cattle into online attractions, filming them in cinematic videos, posting reels, hiring content creators and boosting Facebook posts in the hope that a cow can go viral before it is sold.

The language of the market is changing with it. Alongside the familiar calls of price and weight, sellers now speak of “viral” cattle, online visibility and social media engagement -- signs of a Qurbani trade increasingly shaped by digital marketing.

For traders such as Ujjal, a meat seller who entered the cattle business this year, the phone camera has become almost as important as the market stall. He hired a video creator to film his animals at farms and markets, then posted the footage online to attract buyers.

One widely shared video shows cattle being made to run and jump for entertainment. The caption promises “Ujjal Bhai’s Qurbani cattle at mind-blowing prices.”

The aim is not just to sell an animal, but to create a spectacle around it. Sellers are offering discounts to buyers who arrive after watching their videos, while some farms now employ staff to handle livestreams, social media pages, customer messages and online promotions.

The shift reflects a broader change in how Bangladeshis are buying sacrificial animals. During the COVID pandemic, online cattle sales gained momentum as many buyers avoided crowded markets. But the habit has endured.

Many customers now browse cattle on Facebook or YouTube before visiting a farm or market to make the final choice.

“I saw the viral cattle on Facebook and came to see them in person,” said Mojaffar Ahmed, a visitor to one market. “I also want to make Facebook reels.”

Farmer Monir Hossain said buyers increasingly arrive with a shortlist already formed online.

“People used to come directly to markets to choose cattle,” he said. “Now they first watch videos on Facebook or YouTube and then visit farms. In the past, getting a good spot at the market was enough. Now, if there is no social media reach, customers may not even know about you.”

Digital platforms are also expanding beyond simple cattle sales. Buyers can now book shared Qurbani packages, arrange butchers and, in some cases, receive processed meat through online services.

SM Asif Bin Yousuf, a National Skills Development Authority-certified professional and Bangladesh representative of Roots Management, said the transformation could eventually reshape the entire cattle economy.

“In this market worth around Tk 600 billion, a technological transformation is taking place,” he said, pointing to the possible future use of dedicated apps, blockchain-based tracking systems, AI-driven health and weight assessments and instalment facilities.

For now, the change is visible in the market’s newest attraction: the cow with the biggest online following.