Dhaka: The government has announced strategic measures aimed at ensuring the supply of healthy sacrificial animals for the forthcoming Eid-ul-Azha, curbing the sale of cattle artificially fattened with steroids and harmful substances.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has embarked on a comprehensive plan to deploy 19,098 veterinary medical teams across 3,978 cattle markets nationwide, including those in the capital. This initiative comes as a response to the increasing use of harmful drugs to fatten cattle, a practice that surges ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, as unscrupulous traders seek to make a quick profit at the expense of public health.
Md Tofazzal Hossain, the acting secretary of the ministry, informed BSS that these veterinary teams will assist the public in identifying cattle that have been artificially fattened. He emphasized the economic significance of the supply and trade of sacrificial animals during Eid-ul-Azha. Hossain also highlighted the government’s commitment to preventing consumer deception by dishonest traders this year.
In a bid to promote scientific methods of cattle fattening, the government has trained 83,656 farmers. Additionally, the livestock department, with support from district administrations, has conducted 6,600 village meetings, known as Uthan Baithak, and distributed over 300,000 leaflets and posters to raise awareness about the dangers of steroid misuse in cattle fattening.
To further reinforce these efforts, the district administration and livestock department have already conducted visits to 53,263 farms nationwide to educate farmers on the adverse effects of unregulated steroid use. Mobile courts will continue to operate to enforce compliance, Hossain added.
The Fisheries and Veterinary Food Act-2010 stipulates penalties, including up to one year of imprisonment or a maximum fine of Taka 50,000, or both, for unscientific steroid use. Prof Dr. AKM Humayun Kabir from the Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Science University warned BSS about the severe health risks posed by injected steroid hormones, which can lead to tumors, cancer, kidney disease, and fertility issues.
The ministry has set a target of 12,447,337 sacrificial animals for this year’s Eid-ul-Azha, comprising 562,905 cattle and buffaloes, 6,838,920 goats and rams, and 5,512 other animals. Post-Eid, officials anticipate a surplus of 2,068,135 cattle heads in the country.