Dumuria: A spinster woman farmer in Dumuria upazila has attained financial independence by rearing a giant sacrificial bull named ‘Raja Manik,’ which has already drawn significant attention ahead of the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha. Minu Saha of Raghunathpur village under Raghunathpur union has been engaged in cattle farming for several years. Her five-year-old ox, weighing around 1,600 kilograms (about 40 maunds), has already created a buzz in the locality. She has set an asking price of Tk 14 lakh for the animal, though she is willing to sell it for around Tk 12 lakh.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, on Wednesday, Dumuria Upazila Livestock Officer Dr. Md Ashraful Kabir, Veterinary Surgeon Dr. Abu Sayeed Sumon, along with local journalists, visited her farm and inspected the large-sized ox. Talking to BSS, Minu said she reared the ox using traditional and safe feeding methods without applying any harmful steroids or hormones.
Meanwhile, cattle farmers across all 14 unions of Dumuria upazila are now busy fattening cows in preparation for the Eid market, expecting good prices. Domestic, Sindhi, Pakistani, and Australian breeds of cattle are being raised on various farms. According to the Upazila Livestock Department, a total of 9,598 farmers are engaged in livestock rearing in the area, producing around 45,836 cattle across 51 large farms-sufficient to meet local demand during the festival.
The upazila administration has approved the establishment of three permanent and makeshift cattle markets, where five veterinary medical teams will monitor animal health and ensure that no harmful substances are used in fattening practices. Minu Saha said the rising cost of cattle feed remains a major challenge, as she spends around Tk 700-800 daily per animal.
Shahed Ali, a farmer from Golna village, said he has been raising six native cattle for about a year using only grass, maize, wheat bran, and local feed, which keeps the animals healthy and attractive to buyers. Farmer Amir Hamza of the same area said he now has five cattle after selling several earlier and expects to sell three cows at around Tk 50,000 each.
Another farmer, Samiul Hasan, continued his family’s livestock tradition and later expanded into commercial farming with his brothers on 10 kathas of land in Tipna. Their farm now includes cattle as well as local and foreign breeds of goats and sheep. This year, the farm has prepared 25 cattle for sacrifice, with four workers employed full-time. With Eid approaching, they are feeding the animals three to four times daily and maintaining intensive care routines.
Workers at the farm said they are putting in extra effort, hoping for a profitable season, especially during the Eid period. Local traders and buyers, including Jewel, Jamal, and Nazrul, said cattle prices this year are two to three times higher than last year due to increased feed costs.
Talking to BSS, Upazila Livestock Officer Dr. Ashraful Kabir said the department is providing technical and financial support to farmers. Under a local NGO programme, 49 farmers received assistance last year to promote safe cattle fattening practices. Dumuria Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sabita Sarkar praised Minu Saha’s success, saying it sets an example for others.
‘Her achievement shows that safe and natural cattle farming can be both profitable and sustainable. We want educated unemployed youth to come forward to the dairy farming business,’ she said. Like Minu Saha, farmers across Khulna division are passing busy days preparing sacrificial cattle ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, using both traditional and improved fattening methods, as the festival is only three weeks away.
According to the Department of Livestock Services, around 14.47 lakh sacrificial animals have been prepared in Khulna division this year against a local demand of about 10.79 lakh. Talking to BSS, Dr. Md Golam Haider, Director of the Khulna Divisional Livestock Department, said livestock rearing and cattle fattening have become an important part of the rural economy in Khulna, creating self-employment opportunities for unemployed youth and women.
In response, the Livestock Department is encouraging the use of online platforms for livestock trading to ensure fair prices for producers. Farmers have also urged buyers to purchase healthy animals raised through natural methods without artificial growth promoters or harmful injections. Demand for native breeds remains strong during Eid-ul-Azha, and these cattle are expected to reach markets in full volume within the next couple of weeks. Small farmers, however, say the rising cost of feed compared to previous years may push sacrificial animal prices higher this season.