Photo : Collected

By Md Mamun Islam
 
RANGPUR, Nov 22, 2025 (BSS) - Sheep farming in 364 farms under eight upazilas 
of the district is effectively contributing to making the poor and 
disadvantaged rural people, mostly women, self-reliant and revitalising the 
rural economy.
 
The Department of Livestock officials said that sheep farming has become a 
profitable venture in rural areas of the district.
 
Rural people are expanding sheep farming to increase meat production to meet 
their own and the people's protein needs and to achieve economic self-
reliance.
 
"As a result, many successful men and women who lived under poverty in the 
past are improving their livelihood quality with their family members," 
Rangpur District Livestock Officer Dr Md Abu Sayeed said.
 
In addition to family-level sheep farming, 364 private entrepreneurs are 
currently raising sheep on their farms, creating employment for 1,000 men and 
women across the district.
 
"The total number of sheep in the district stood at 47,943 in 2024, compared 
to 42,916 in 2019 and the number is increasing every year," said Dr Sayeed, 
adding that all necessary assistance and vaccinations for sheep are being 
provided to the people. 
 
The Department of Livestock has taken comprehensive steps to popularise sheep 
rearing and meat of sheep and ensure proper use of hair of sheep in making 
carpet, blanket, mat and other commercial goods.
 
Talking to BSS, housewife Rashida Begum of Laxmipur village in Ekorchali 
union of Taraganj upazila said she was married to day-labourer Mansur Ali of 
the village about 45 years ago.
 
The couple had no choice but to work as daily laborers to make ends meet for 
their two sons and a daughter. 
 
At one point, Rashida bought a female sheep for Taka 365 about 17 years ago. 
 
After six months, the sheep gave birth to four cubs and it gave birth to four 
more cubs after the next six months.
 
"My sheep numbers increased every year and I started selling sheep to cover 
all our family expenses," Rashida said. 
 
Currently, she has 45 sheep. Rashida along with her husband is now looking 
after their sheep all the time.
 
Yunus Ali of Bamandighi village in Taraganj upazila of Rangpur has also 
changed his fortune by rearing sheep at his farm.
 
He began the venture with only five sheep bought at Taka 17,000 in February, 
2017 after watching a video on YouTube about self-reliance in sheep farming 
on his neighbor's nephew's mobile phone. 
 
He started grazing the sheep in the fields and on the roadside. He never 
looked back. In the first year, the number of five sheep increased to 13. 
 
In this way, the sheep increase every year, the income increases, and the 
size of the farm increases. 
 
Yunus said, "Sheep give birth every five months. A sheep gives birth to two 
or three babies at a time. Sheep food is easily available, and it also takes 
up less space. Sheep food can be obtained by grazing on the roadside and in 
the fields. 
 
"I have now 100 sheep. Now, I am happy with my wife and children with the 
income from sheep farming. People in the neighborhood are also buying sheep 
from me and raising them," said a smiling Yunus Ali.
 
Similarly, housewife Monira Begum from Char Gannarpar village in Gangachara 
upazila said she has attained economic self-reliance by raising sheep at her 
own initiative. 
 
Monira's hardships amidst extreme poverty with her farm labourer husband 
Alauddin Mia and their two daughters, knew no bounds in the past. 
 
Monira somehow bought three sheep 12 years ago and started taking care of 
them. 
 
After six months, each of the three sheep gave birth to three to four cubs. 
Within another six months, they gave birth to three to four more cubs, and 
this process continued for 15 years, completely changing Monira's life. 
 
She started selling sheep to meet all her family's expenses. Monira built a 
good house. Now, she has 40 sheep.
 
District Livestock Officer Dr Md Abu Sayeed suggested people to consume sheep 
meat which is soft, juicy, easily digestible and high in protein and energy 
and relatively low in harmful fat and cholesterol.