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MANIKGANJ, June 2, 2025 (BSS) - Cattle rearing are now a profitable 
occupation for the people of rural and char areas in Manikganj 

Most of the char people of Daulatpur, Shibalaya and Harirampur upazilas of 
the district have chosen the cattle rearing as their main source of income 
for maintaining livelihood, according to the officials of the district animal 
resources department.

"They will supply their animals to the other parts of the district for 
sacrificial ahead of Eid-ul-Azha,"District Animal Resource Office sources 
said, adding that a total of 83,104 sacrificial animals including cows, goats 
and sheep are rearing in 13,295 cattle farms in all seven upazilas of the 
district.
 
District Livestock Officer (DLO) Dr. Mojibur Rahman said a few years back 
people of the district were dependent for sacrificial animals on supply from 
the neighbouring districts. But now cattle farming got momentum in every 
upazila of the district as a lot of cattle farms are rearing cows, goats and 
sheep to meet the demand of milk and meat here.

Apart from meeting demand for milk and meat, local farmers are supplying a 
sufficient number of sacrificial animals in the market to cope with the 
demand.

He said the field-level officials of Animal Resource Department have been 
visiting the cattle farms and houses to monitor whether the harmful steroids 
and feeds are being used for cattle fattening. The domestic cattle rearing 
farmers including farm owners were asked not to use any steroid or hormone 
tablet for fattening their animals in the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha markets. 
 
Local cattle traders are expected to meet the demand for sacrificial animal 
in the district this year thanks to farmers particularly char people for 
rearing cattlehead on commercial basis over the last few years.

"The demand of the sacrificial animals for the district is around 52,000, but 
a total of 83,104 sacrificial animals are available in the district," the DLO 
said, adding that there are about 13,000 surplus than the demand.
 
Nurjahan Begum a middle-aged woman of Paruria village under Daulatpur 
upazila, said she is rearing two oxen which herday labourer husband bought 
10-month ago at a cost of Taka 1,10, 000. She is expecting to sell the two 
oxen at 2,50,000-2,60,000 at the present market rate. Additionally, they have 
been feeding their oxen natural grass, straw and molasses.

Nurjahan said they have been rearing the cattle for a few years especially 
for Eid-ul-Azha market. Hundreds of char people, like Nurjahan, are doing the 
same business while the cattle markets of sacrificial animals have started in 
the district. 
 
Aricha haat, the biggest cattle market in the district, is not found fully 
crowded but the farm owners and farmers are expecting that the market will 
start in full swing in a few days.

Lokman Hossain, one of the cattle traders, said special size big oxen and 
bulls are yet to appear in the markets as the buyers are not available.

Some cattle traders have started to supply cattle to the capital city Dhaka 
and Chattagram district, the DLO added.