Cumilla: A farm at Lakkhinagar village in Sadar South upazila of Cumilla has turned into a mini zoo, drawing large crowds every day, after a camel was brought there along with various domestic and exotic animals. Rafi Agro Farm, established in 2017 beside a village field, has recently become a local attraction as a camel – known as the ‘ship of the desert’ – became the main centre of attention.
According to United News of Bangladesh, visitors gather at the farm to see the camel, take photographs, and observe other animals kept there. The camel, standing over 10 feet tall, is kept outside the farm premises during the day, where staff clean and care for it by spraying water. Locals mentioned they had only seen camels in films before, making the close encounter a rare experience. One visitor expressed, ‘We have never seen a camel in Cumilla before. It feels good to see and touch it up close.’
Farm caretaker Sumon Islam noted that the camel is calm in nature and is fed corn, wheat, and grass. It drinks around 40 litres of water a day. He added that more than a hundred visitors arrive daily to see the animal. Farm owner Jewel Ahmed shared that the camel was brought from Rajasthan and weighs over 900 kg. The animal has been priced at Tk 32 lakh and has already attracted several potential buyers. If not sold, it may be taken to a cattle market, he added.
Apart from the camel, the farm houses over a hundred cattle, including local and foreign breeds, as well as goats and buffaloes. Jewel Ahmed also expressed that though the farm was established in 2017, no government veterinary officer had visited the facility so far. Cumilla District Livestock Officer Mohammad Shamsul Alam stated that veterinary services are provided regularly and necessary action will be taken if any written complaint is received regarding service gaps.