People began to visit the cattle markets in the capital just before Eid-ul-Azha to buy sacrificial animals, but buying has yet to pick up because of high prices.

Abdul Mannan, a resident of Dhanmondi, on Sunday said he had been visiting the Gabtoli cattle market since Friday and observed that the prices were still high. "I will buy the sacrificial animal just before the Eid day," he added.

Traders at the cattle markets are demanding prices which are about 30 percent higher than what it was last year, buyers said.

Another buyer from Eskaton, Rabiul Alam on Friday said he had bought a medium-sized bull for Tk 24,000 from the Gabtoli cattle market. He thought the price was Tk 4,000 more than what it was in the previous year.

An on-the-spot visit to Gabtoli on Saturday revealed that visitors were more in number than buyers. The visitors went to the market only to have some ideas about prices.

"I bought 29 bulls from villagers and brought them to this market. I have sold 14 bulls in four days, as people are visiting the market only to observe the situation," said Rois Mollah, a trader from Dinajpur at Gabtoli on Saturday.

Traders have been asking between Tk 22,000 and Tk 25,000 for a medium-sized bull, which sold between Tk 18,000 and Tk 20,000 last year.

"There are not many large-sized bulls in the market this year. Poor inflow of cattle from India has also pushed up the prices," said a staff of the lessee who collects toll from buyers at Gabtoli market.

Traders also said that most people start buying cattle two days before the Eid to avoid the hassle of maintenance and, therefore, the hectic sales of cattle cannot be expected before Monday. The Eid will be celebrated on Wednesday.

"I have been visiting the markets since Saturday. I hope to buy a medium-sized cow today or tomorrow," said Abdul Haque, a buyer, at Meradia market yesterday.

However, toll collection on the highways by local hoodlums and ruling party activists and the high transport costs have forced the traders to ask for higher prices.

They said that they had faced extortion either on their way or in the markets. The security on the roads and in the markets was not satisfactory.

"The price of the animals is high mainly because of insufficient number of animals and tight security measures along the border," said Rahmat Ali, another trader at Postogola.

"High transport cost is another reason for the increased prices," he said.