District Commissioners (DCs) have been instructed to take effective steps to ensure that sacrificial animal hides are not damaged during the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha.
Authorities have been asked to consult mosque imams and other relevant stakeholders and take coordinated measures.
Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir made the remarks on Monday after a meeting on the second day of the Deputy Commissioners’ Conference at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka.
He said coordinated initiatives will be taken to stabilise the market and reopen closed industries.
He also said the operational scope of the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will be further expanded.
The minister mentioned DCs have been directed to engage with mosque imams and other concerned parties to ensure proper preservation of Qurbani hides so they do not go to waste, and to implement effective measures through consultation.
Earlier, on 3 May, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammad Aminur Rashid said the total number of sacrificial livestock this year stands at 1.23 crore. He said demand has been estimated at 1.1 crore animals.
He added that supply is higher than demand, leaving a surplus of over 22 lakh livestock this year. He said there is no risk of any shortage of sacrificial animals in the market.
The minister also said the government will maintain strict monitoring to prevent illegal entry of sacrificial cattle through borders. He said Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), police and other forces will remain on alert and no infiltration will be tolerated.
He further said law enforcement agencies will ensure security at cattle markets and for buyers and sellers, with officers also working in plainclothes.
He added that no tax or fee will be charged for online cattle sales. The government will also take a strict stance against extortion on cattle transport trucks during Eid. Law enforcement has already launched operations against extortionists.
