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Business transactions in the city's cattle markets finally increased on Thursday after a sluggish trend for the past couple of days.
But cattle traders expressed dissatisfactions over this year's 'lower' prices of sacrificial animals.
However, customers seemed happy as they could buy their desired cattle heads at comparatively low prices, thanks to a lower demand amid Covid-19 pandemic.
According to leaseholders, there are still empty spaces at haats (markets) to accommodate more animals, but traders are not much interested in displaying more cattle following poor price and demand.
With only a day ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, Dhaka's residents in large numbers finally set foot on haats, but the volume of buy-sell activities is below par, market insiders said.
Abdul Mazid, a Chuadanga trader who brought two big-size brahma bulls at Aftabnagar haat, said, "People barely ask price of my bulls as they look uninterested in big cows."
The asking prices of the bulls, one is red and another white, weighing over 12 maund each, were Tk 500,000 and Tk 480,000 respectively, he said.
Those who brought big cows will have to either return their cattle or sell at low prices, Mr Mazid added.
Shahin Mollah, an Aftabnagar leaseholder, said at least 40-per cent space of the haat is still empty, but traders are not supplying cows amid poor business.
He, however, hopes the sale at the market will reach its peak by Friday afternoon.
A trader, Md Fazlu, from Sirajganj said he has so far sold a total of five small and medium-size cows but he still has 13 to sell at Gabtoli haat.
"I came here for better prices, but it seems that there would be loss this year if I need to return some of my cattle," he added.
Mr Fazlu has discouraged his brother, who is also a trader, not to come to Dhaka this time.
Enamul Kabir, a former government employee, bought a cow at Tk 85,000 at Gabtoli haat. He said the price is not that low that the traders are complaining about.
Traders are demanding high prices with only one day left ahead of the religious festival.
Contradicting with Mr Kabir, another customer Faruk Hossain who bought a cow at Tk 140,000, told the FE that prices of small and medium cows are always high.
But the prices of bigger ones are clearly lower than that in the previous few years, he said.
Meanwhile, for the first time in the country's history that beef prices declined during an Eid festival.
Beef was sold at Tk 550-580 a kilogram on Thursday from Tk 570-600 a kg two weeks back.
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