The price of the biggest size cow in the sacrificial animals markets was demanded up to Tk 1 crore. Some sellers are reckoning the ‘history’ of the so called hyped-cows and demanding the price that seems to be too much. However, to compete in the so called social status quo, some buyers are purchasing it even with crore of Tk.
No one has determined the actual price of these cows. According to Islamic thinkers, it is not goes to the shari'ah to buy an animal at such a high price and make a public sacrifice just to brag out. Again, the doctors think that it is important to do a health check before sacrificing these large-bodied cows. Animals are often fattened in an unscientific manner. As a result, doctors have warned that eating all that beef is extremely dangerous for public health.
It is known that one to one and a half months before Eid, the farmers are using various prohibited drugs on the advice of some village doctors to fatten the cows quickly which were artificially injected into beef muscle. Doctors are of the opinion that eating these beef can damage various organs including kidney, liver and cause cancer.
In several districts of the country, including Dhaka-Chittagong, the unprecedented prices of some animals are even going up, which have never been seen in the past. These animals are being bought and sold for sacrifice under various ‘teasing’ names on social and TV media. In previous years, when cows were sold for a maximum of Tk 15 to 20 lakhs, it was discussed nationwide. But this time there is talk of selling a cow for crores of Tk. A firm named Sadek Agro in the capital sold three American Brahma breed cows for Tk 2 crore 60 lakh last Monday. Out of this, the price of two cows was Tk 2 crore. The remaining one cow was sold for 60 lakhs. Sadek Agro claims that the prices of the cows have been determined not only considering the meat, but also considering the breed history.
Not only in the capital Dhaka, there been reports of selling cows at high prices in ‘teasing’ names from outside Dhaka. Cows are also being sold in the haats (temporary markets) under the names of actor Shakib Khan, Zayed Khan, Salman Khan and actress P0rimini. Apart from this, the information of sale of cows in the name of King of Bengal, Kala Manik, Sultan, Nawab at higher prices is available from the cow markets. Cows are named after the heroes and heroines of Bollywood and the prices are skyrocketing.
Renowned medical expert, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's personal physician Professor Dr. ABM Abdullah said the health of these expensive cows should be checked by veterinarians and animal experts.
He said instead of buying a sacrificial cow with crores of Tk, instead of buying several cows with that money, the meat should be distributed among the poor people. It is not right to sacrifice animals at high cost just to earn a reputation. This will not fulfill the real purpose of the sacrifice.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University former vice-chancellor Professor Dr. Sharfuddin Ahmed told The Bangladesh Pratidin, “On the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha, many farmers use different types of antibiotic and steroid drugs to fatten cows. If these animals are later sacrificed and their meat is eaten by humans, the antibiotics applied will also enter the human body. As a result, no other antibiotics will work in their bodies. Apart from this, steroids are very harmful to the human body. Such animal meat is a threat to public interest. So I request the farmers to use normal methods of fattening the cows, so that people can eat beef safely.”
The former livestock officer Masudar Rahman told The Bangladesh Pratidin, “The name has nothing to do with the breed of cow. Basically these names are given to go viral. Sellers took the opportunity to sell cows at a higher price with this fake viral promotion. The price of beef is not in line with the way sellers set prices. Although the weight is said to be 1400 kg to 1500 kg, it is actually fake. In fact none of them know the real weight.”
Regarding the purchase of sacrificial animals at a high price, Mufti Faizullah, Secretary General of the Islamic Oikyajot, told The Bangladesh Pratidin, “Worship should be free from secularism, whatever be the worship. But if someone competes with good intentions, that is another matter. But if someone sacrifices to show people, to gain fame, to show his greatness, it will not be considered as valid worship.”
He said, “Our request to those who will perform this important worship that once heavily testified Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) and Hazrat Ismail (A.S.) - keep the sacrifice free from worldliness. It is said in the Holy Qur'an: my prayer, my sacrifice, my life and death will be for the pleasure of Allah Ta'ala alone. Not for showing up.”
Mufti Humayun Ayyub, senior teacher of Sheikh Januruddin (r.) Darul Qur'an Madrasa in Chowdhurypara pof Dhaka, said, “Qurbani is an important act of worship. The essence of worship is to show obedience to Allah Ta'ala and attaining His pleasure. So, two things are essential for the perfection of any worship: to observe only for the pleasure of Allah and to perform matters according to the instructions of the Shariah. If you sacrifice to show people, for worldliness, that sacrifice will not be accepted in the court of Allah Ta'ala. Sacrifice is not the name of purchasing animals at huge money or taking a selfie and uploading it on Facebook to satisfy your heart's desire.”
(The report was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on June 14 and rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque Khan)
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