A legal notice has been sent to the government in public interest, demanding the withdrawal of ban on commercial imports of live cattle and packaged halal beef to bring down the retail price of beef to Tk250 per kg.
Supreme Court lawyer Md Mahmudul Hasan Mamun served the notice on Sunday.
The notice was issued to six key officials – cabinet secretary, commerce secretary, fisheries and livestock secretary, livestock services director general, Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission chairman, and National Board of Revenue (NBR) chairman.
It outlined arguments for controlling food inflation, fulfilling animal protein requirements, and keeping beef prices within the purchasing power of ordinary citizens.
The lawyer noted that nearly 90 per cent of Bangladesh’s population of over 18 crore are Muslim, with beef being one of their primary and preferred foods.
However, beef is currently selling in the retail market at Tk780 to Tk850 per kg.
Due to these inflated prices, poor, low-income, and fixed-income middle-class families are finding it difficult to purchase beef, leading to long-term protein deficiencies and a risk of malnutrition, particularly among children.
Citing international trade theory, specifically the Theory of Comparative Advantage, the notice argued that a nation should focus on producing goods it can manufacture at a relatively lower cost, whereas meeting demand through imports is economically effective for goods with high domestic production costs.
As an illustration, it highlighted garment imports by the United States and European Union member states.
High labour wages, technology opportunity costs, and elevated factory operational expenses make garment production expensive in those countries, leading them to import garments from Bangladesh to offer affordable goods to their consumers.
Applying this economic principle to the domestic beef sector, the notice stated that Bangladesh faces constraints regarding pastureland, agricultural land, and low-cost, quality animal feed production.
Consequently, livestock rearing costs escalate, pushing beef prices beyond the reach of the public. Conversely, countries with surplus livestock production possess extensive natural grazing land and large-scale farming capabilities, enabling them to produce cattle and meat at significantly lower costs.
The lawyer maintained that permitting open commercial imports from international markets could lower domestic beef prices to approximately Tk250 per kg, reduce food inflation, enhance the purchasing power of working-class people, and benefit the national economy.
The notice highlighted constitutional provisions, referencing Article 15(a) regarding the state’s responsibility to ensure basic necessities including food, Article 18(1) on raising the level of nutrition and improving public health, and Article 32 on the right to life, which the lawyer argued includes access to nutritious food alongside living with dignity.
It asserted that limiting public access to affordable beef while allowing a small group of farmers and feed producers to earn monopoly profits conflicts with constitutional obligations.
The authorities have been given 15 days to take necessary measures to remove the ban on importing live cattle and certified halal frozen or chilled beef of international standard, as well as to rationalise tariffs to bring beef prices within Tk250 per kg.
The notice warned that if the demands are not met within the specified timeframe, a public interest writ petition will be filed in the High Court Division of the Supreme Court under Article 102 of the Constitution.
