Put a stop to unethical cow-fattening practices

Unscrupulous business practices like artificial cow-fattening truly taint the spirit of Eid-ul-Azha.

With Eid less than two weeks away, cattle traders have been found using steroids, antibiotics, and other chemicals to artificially fatten up their livestock in an abnormally short amount of time.

The changes to the cow caused by these injections are not merely cosmetic – severe health damage is done to humans by the consumption of this meat.

While most traders would still claim that the fattening supplements were not harmful, there is reason to believe these chemicals may cause cancer, kidney disease, and infertility in women.

Knowingly causing such damage to public health in order to hike up the price of cows is a crime, and must be dealt with swiftly. The use of antibiotics, growth hormones, harmful chemicals, and steroids is prohibited by the Animal Feed Act 2010. Violators may be faced with a year in prison, a Tk50,000 fine, or both.

For a safe and happy Eid-ul-Azha for all, it is important to ensure that the public is not swindled at the cattle market. It is indeed highly regrettable that such a harmful and dishonest business would thrive during one of the holiest festivals of the Islamic calendar.

A very large volume of cattle is traded during Eid-ul-Azha in Bangladesh every year. It is imperative that we make sure law and order is upheld in the cattle market, and offenders are brought to book.

Let us not undermine the spirit of this religious holiday.