Sacrificial animals on sale online
In general cattle are priced between
Tk 40,000 and
Tk 1,50,000 on most
e-commerce portals
Tareque Moretaza
Some people have already purchased their sacrificial online to observe the Eid-ul-Azha. Although the number is not substantial but the growing trend is encouraging, said Razib Ahmed, president of Commerce Association of Bangladesh (e-CAB).
Razib told The Independent that now people are relying more on e-commerce sites than before. There will be a time when people will put online sites over traditional markets, the e-CAB president hoped and said e-commerce has been proven an easy and reliable solution for busy life.
A site dedicated to connecting cattle traders with customers called amardesheshop.com, has uploaded some 200 sacrificial animals on display this year.
Due to floods, we could not bring animal North Bengal which led to an increased demand for cattle breeders of Kishoreganj, said Ataur Rahman, co-founder of amardesh e-shop.
Ataur said, We charge Tk 2000-3000 as service charge for delivering the animal to buyers residence.
Our e-shop service is only available for clients residing in the capital Dhaka for now.
In 2009, amardesh e-shop started selling sacrificial animals online for the first time. Sites co-founder Sadeka Hasan Sejuti told The Independent, Our site directly connects domestic cattle breeders with buyers. After order finalisation, cattle breeder himself delivers the animal to buyers house. This year over 200 cattle breeders from Kishoreganj have joined our site. We are expecting to sell at least 150 animals through our portal.
We have received around hundred orders till now, said Sadeka Hasan Sejuti. She also added that they are not making any profit from sale of sacrificial animals.
We have got local centers of our e-shop at every districts of the country. After confirming the animal is eligible for sacrifice, we post it for sale on our portal, said Sadeka Hasan.
However, countrys most popular meat chain Bengal Meat is providing services for clients outside the capital as well. The company sells cattle raised on their own farms through their website.
Chief Marketing Officer of Bengal Meat HUM Mehedi Sazzad told The Independent, We have sold around 900 animals through our online platform during last Eid. This year number exceeded 500.
Apart from amardesh e-shop and Bengal Meat, sites such as Sadeeq Agro, Clickbd dotcom and some others have been in this business since the last couple of years. Reports add that besides the professional e-commerce sites several other Facebook pages and groups have recently been conducting these kinds of cattle markets online.
It is reported that a maximum of Tk 4,50,000 was raised as cattle price on e-commerce site. These kinds of cattle also have elite names.
However, in general cattle are priced between Tk 40,000 and Tk 1,50,000 on most of the e-commerce portals. Details over cattle breed, age, and weight along with animal pictures are being highlighted on these portals.
Vice President, Communications and Corporate Relationship of mobile phone operator Robi Axiata Limited Ekram Kabir told The Independent, Connecting millions of clients with digital lifestyle has been one of a kind of achievement for the countrys telecom industry.
E-commerce sites have led massive changes to the digital lifestyle of people. In the coming days, the impact is going to be huge and people will rely more on e-commerce sites. Expatriates particularly living outside the country can now buy their cattle from online, this is quiet a success for this sector.
