Traders hope the rush of buyers will increase today.

Sacrificial animals were already being bought and sold in full gear at the city's permanent cattle market at Gabtoli for the last a few days.

Cattle traders attributed the higher prices to increased cattle feed prices and transport costs.

Most traders expressed satisfaction that they could bring their cattle to Dhaka without facing the hassles of extortion on their way due to the security measures taken by the government. Some of them said however they had to pay money to police and extortionists both on the highways and river routes.

Many traders from Kushtia, Jhenaidah and Faridpur mainly lauded the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) for their safe journey to the capital. But several traders said they had to pay Tk 300-800 at different points on their way.

At Golapbagh makeshift cattle market, Harun-ur- Rashid from Bhanga in Faridpur said, "We had to pay additional Tk 800 at two ferry ghats and to patrol police at different points on the road."

M Moazzem Mrida, who is from Shibchar of Faridpur, said, "I had to pay Tk 400 to Tk 500 to law enforcers and others on the river route."

But another cattle trader, elderly Moniruddin Matbor, said, " This year we have come to Dhaka without facing any trouble from extortionists on the way." He lauded the Rab for this.

Traders also said that no incident of musclemen forcing cattle-loaded trucks to markets of their choice took place this year, unlike in the past.

During a visit to three cattle markets at Golapbagh, Kamalapur and Gandaria yesterday, the supply of Indian cattle was found to be lower than that of the previous years.

The prices of a medium-sized cow ranged from Tk 15000 to Tk 20,000 yesterday. Lessees of the makeshift market are to get five percent of the sale prices.

At Kamalapur market, the seller demanded Tk one lakh seventy thousand for a bull and buyers offered up to Tk one lakh twenty five thousand. Interestingly, the seller offered a goat free of cost to one who would buy the bull.

Owner of the bull and goat M Anisuzzaman from Chuadanga said, " The bull named Samrat and the goat named Saddam used to take feed together always. So, I decided to give away the goat with the bull free of cost."

"I did not face any trouble on the way to Dhaka," said Anisuzzaman, who has brought 20 bulls and 100 goats.

The Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) selected 16 sites for makeshift cattle markets this year.

These include the open spaces beside Armanitola playground, at Khilkhet Tanpara, Agargaon slum, Taltola bus stand, Banani-Kakoli railway station and Sector-12 in Uttara and near Alam Market at Postagola, Golapbagh ground, Rahamatganj playground, Dhupkhola ground, Hosseni Dalan Road, Kamalapur eastern ground of Bangladesh Bank Colony, Meradia Bazar, Jigatola-Hazaribagh playground, Sunrise Sporting Club ground and Rayer Bazar playground.

Our Staff Correspondent in Chittagong reports: the cattle market in Chittagong has yet to witness a momentum in sales and purchases as expected by traders, especially those who brought high priced sacrificial animals from different parts of the country and also from India and Nepal.

Badruddin Biswas from Jhenidah, who usually brings high quality and high-rated cattle to the markets of the port city before the Eid-ul- Azha, came here three days ago with 32 large cattle of 'Nepal Shah' breed. He looked disappointed yesterday at Sagarika cattle market as none of his cattle had yet sold.

"I've got no customers offering the prices I expected far," he said in frustration.

Badruddin wanted Tk 1,20,00 for each of his cattle while buyers offered Tk 70,000 to Tk 80,000.

Another trader, Anwar Sowdagar, imported 10 camels from Rajasthan in India two days ago but he too couldn't sell any of those.

A Sagarika market yesterday, a local trader sought Tk 60,000 to Tk 70,000 each for a camel but he found no buyer.

Hasan Bepari from Comilla brought 20 'Hariyana' type cattle from Nepal two days ago but was unable to find any buyers. He was demanding Tk 40,000 to Tk 50,000 each.

A trader from Comilla, Shamsul Haque brought two big goats at Sagarika market on Tuesday and was seeking Tk 15,000 for each. Only one buyer yesterday offered Tk 8,000.

Traders said however that well-off families would come to the markets on the day before the Eid and give their sales a boost.

All of them were happy at the law and order this year. "We didn't face any extortionists or criminals yet," one of them said.