Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) have decided to allow only 10 makeshift cattle markets in Dhaka city ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.
The markets will be set up in open areas of the city corporations in order to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission. Furthermore, both DNCC and DSCC are encouraging the use of digital platforms for the buying and selling of sacrificial animals, as Dhaka remains a hotspot for the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in Bangladesh.
Earlier, the DSCC had floated tenders for 18 cattle markets but suspended 13 of them after considering the Covid-19 situation. They have now settled on five makeshift cattle markets in less densely populated areas.
The DSCC made the decision following a meeting at Nagar Bhaban on Sunday.
After the meeting, DSCC Chief Estate Officer Rasel Sabrin, said: “We have decided to allow only five makeshift cattle markets for selling sacrificial animals this year due to the pandemic.
“We are also trying to set up a digital cattle market to reduce hassle,” he told Dhaka Tribune.
The five cattle markets will be set up at the Moitree Songha grounds in North Sajahanpur, the Leather Technology College grounds in Hajaribagh, the vacant space adjacent to Postagola crematorium, the vacant space adjacent to the Kamalapur Little Friends Club, and Aftabnagar grounds at block- E, F and G under section 1 and 2.
The DNCC had floated tenders for 11 cattle markets in Dhaka, not including the permanent market at Gabtoli. Later, the city corporation canceled all the tenders in order to reconsider market locations.
According to the DNCC, they are now planning to finalize five makeshift locations on the edges of the city, as there is more space to maintain social distancing there and it is less densely populated.
The DNCC is considering markets in Dumni, Uttara sector 17, or Moyner Tek in Uttara, Kawla Shialkantha grounds, Basila, and Sayednagar in Vatara.
“We have cut the number of cattle markets. We are allowing only five makeshift cattle markets and one permanent market under the city corporation, instead of the previous eleven,” said Atiqul Islam, mayor of DNCC.
“We will ensure health guidelines are followed at cattle markets, as they cannot become epicenters of coronavirus transmission,” he added.
On Friday, the National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) on Covid-19 prevention recommended the postponement of Eid-ul-Azha cattle markets in four districts - Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gazipur and Chittagong - as the transmission of the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in these districts is yet to be brought under control.
NTAC President Dr Mohammad Sahidullah said: “We recommend not to set up any cattle market in Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gazipur, and Chittagong as the situation with the contagious coronavirus is yet to be brought under control in these districts.”
However, veteran physician, Professor ABM Abdullah, said: “NTAC has strongly recommended not to establish sacrificial animal markets in major cities, but we should allow the markets as they are very important for the economy. The matter should be given special importance. We should ensure health guidelines instead of suspension.”
Online market for sacrificial animals
DNCC has already launched an online platform for the sale and acquisition of cattle for Eid-ul-Azha.
According to the plan, buyers will get access a healthy slaughtering system through the facility. The city corporation will ensure the meat is delivered to customers at their homes.
“There are a lot of challenges to running the new online system of total Eid sacrifice management. After a buyer buys a cow, we will nurture the animals until Eid and the meat will be sent to the buyer’s home after the animal is slaughtered,” said the DNCC mayor.
“However, such an online market will reduce the hassle of purchasing and slaughtering,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.
