National
Livestock Surplus Expected for Upcoming Eid-ul-Adha
Livestock officials and experts have assured that there is an abundant supply of sacrificial animals for the upcoming Eid-ul-Adha, scheduled for next week. Over 12.9 million animals have been prepared for the qurbani festival.
According to statistics from the divisional livestock department, the estimated demand for livestock this year stands at 10.7 million. After meeting the demand, a surplus of almost 2.28 million livestock is expected.
“We have no shortage of livestock to meet the demand for the upcoming Eid as the country has an additional 2.28 million animals after fulfilling the qurbani demand,” stated Dr. ABM Khaleduzzaman, Director (Production) of the Department of Livestock Services (DLS).
The annual demand for sacrificial animals is usually calculated by adding five percent to the number of animals slaughtered the previous year. This year’s demand stands at 10.7 million for the qurbani.
Of the sacrificial animals, 5.268 million are cows, 160,000 are buffaloes, 6.85 million are goats, 767,000 are sheep, and 1,850 are other species ready for qurbani during Eid-ul-Adha, the second largest festival for Muslims worldwide.
“The price depends on demand and supply. Since we have made the statistics through surveys, there won’t be much difference between demand and supply. It seems that the prices will remain stable,” Khaleduzzaman said.
“Necessary steps will be taken to ensure the safety of the market. There will be close monitoring at all levels until the end of Eid-ul-Adha,” he added. He also expressed hope that the qurbani market will foster a friendly environment for both buyers and sellers.
DLS officials also mentioned that permanent veterinary doctors and mobile veterinary teams will operate at cattle markets nationwide, including both permanent and temporary markets in the capital under the north and south city corporation areas.
Additionally, DLS officials stated that farmers would not face taxation for selling animals from their homes this year and would not be coerced into selling animals on the streets if they preferred distant markets. Law enforcement agencies, local government bodies, and municipal authorities will be vigilant to prevent any extortion attempts.
The minister advised farmers to use digital payments to avoid carrying cash. Similar to last year, online sales of sacrificial animals will continue nationwide, benefiting both buyers and sellers.
Leaders of the quota reform movement have resolutely refused to negotiate with the government, insisting that their movement will persist until their demands are met.
In a Facebook post, Hasnat Abdullah, a coordinator of the movement, declared, “No discussion through stepping onto blood.”
Asif Mahmud, another prominent leader, echoed this sentiment, stating, “There can be no dialogue with bullets. I would prefer death over this betrayal.”
He further elaborated, “On one side, there are bullets. On the other, there is a call for dialogue. We can’t sit for dialogue while stepping onto the blood of our brothers.”
Earlier, leaders of the quota reform movement accused the government of escalating the law and order situation towards violence, asserting that their movement was peaceful until the government’s intervention.
Vowing to continue their struggle, Asif Mahmud stated, “We will continue our protests till we achieve our demands for reformation of the quota system, reopening of the halls and campuses, making university campuses terror-free, withdrawing political forces from the campuses, and punishing the killers and attackers.”
He added, “The people of the country have encircled those who tried to corner us. No conspiracy will be able to derail our movement.”
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today urged both local and international investors to invest in the extraction of marine resources from Bangladesh’s extensive sea areas.
“In order to fortify the blue economy through the diverse utilization of our marine resources, I call upon local and foreign investors to seize the opportunity to invest in Bangladesh. This will enable us to harness more of our marine resources,” she announced.
The Prime Minister made these remarks during the inauguration of the Bangladesh International Aquaculture and Seafood Show-2024 at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in Dhaka.
She emphasized the importance of adhering to proper standards in the collection, distribution, and processing of fish to boost exports, aiming to make fish the country’s second-largest source of foreign currency.
Sheikh Hasina pointed out that her government has made limited progress in harvesting fish and other sea resources from the deep sea due to a lack of interest from local investors.
“Therefore, we need foreign investment to advance in this area. This is the reality we must face,” she noted.
She also suggested that both local and foreign investors can collaborate in joint ventures or invest separately in this sector to achieve better results.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecasted light to moderate and moderately heavy rainfall or thundershowers, accompanied by temporary gusty winds, across all eight divisions of the country over the next 24 hours, starting from 9 am today.
In its weather bulletin issued this morning, the BMD stated, “Light to moderate rain or thundershowers with temporary gusty wind is expected in a few places over Rangpur, Mymensingh, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. Additionally, one or two places in Rajshahi, Dhaka, Khulna, and Barisal divisions may experience similar conditions, with moderately heavy falls anticipated at several locations in Rangpur, Mymensingh, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions.”
The bulletin also highlighted that the current mild heat wave sweeping across the Rangpur division and the districts of Tangail, Chuadanga, Rajshahi, Pabna, Bogra, and Netrokona may persist.
Daytime temperatures are expected to rise slightly, while nighttime temperatures are likely to remain nearly unchanged throughout the country.
On Wednesday, the highest recorded temperature was 36.7 degrees Celsius, observed in Rajshahi, Rangpur, and Rajarhat. The lowest temperature recorded today was 26.0 degrees Celsius, noted in Bandarban and Teknaf.
Over the last 24 hours, rainfall amounted to 16 mm in Bandarban.
For the capital, the sun will set at 6:48 pm today and rise at 5:21 am tomorrow.
