Bankura (Bengal): It is set to be an unusual Eid for countless people across Bengal. Directions on cattle slaughter issued by the recently established Bharatiya Janata Party-led Bengal administration have not only shattered Muslim communities, but also thousands from Dalit and Adivasi groups whose livelihoods relied on the purchase and sale of cattle, alongside meat distribution networks, milk procurement and dairy commerce, now find themselves staring at economic disaster.
To grasp the seriousness of the situation, this reporter travelled to multiple rural haats – weekly village markets – throughout the state. What surfaced was a disturbing scene. Across Bengal, rural cattle markets that once served as the foundation of local economies have gone quiet. Commercial activity has halted entirely, leaving lakhs of labourers jobless and forcing families into insecurity to the extent that this may impact the broader economy.
The crisis, traders claim, started after the government of West Bengal recently released a new directive concerning animal slaughter. Under the West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act, 1950, no cattle may be slaughtered without fulfilling certain legal requirements. The legislation places severe limitations on the slaughter of bulls, cows and buffaloes.
As per the provisions of the Act, official permission is compulsory before any animal may be sacrificed, with authorities required to examine both the physical condition and age of the animal. The law additionally specifies that the cattle must be at least 14 years old and considered entirely unfit for productive use. The certification procedure demands the joint signatures of the local panchayat pradhan or municipality chairman together with a registered veterinary doctor. Without such authorisation, no animal can legally be transported to a slaughterhouse for sacrifice. The directive also clarifies that slaughter may only occur at government-approved abattoirs.
Importantly, the notification contains no reference to closing cattle markets. However, traders allege that since the directive was declared on May 13, incidents of threats and assaults on cattle traders by individuals linked to the BJP and Bajrang Dal have been reported from various places, including Katwa in Paschim Bardhaman.
In desperation and with no alternatives remaining, several cattle rearers from both Muslim and Hindu communities approached the Calcutta high court seeking justice and protection for their livelihoods. Following the hearing of one such case on May 21, the judge reserved the verdict.
When Eid-ul-Adha is observed tomorrow, it will carry a far greater sense of anxiety and emotional strain than merely an inability to celebrate a festival.
Bankura’s largest cattle market
Under the scorching sun, with temperatures climbing beyond 42° Celsius, silence looms heavily over the expansive grounds of Sunukpahari cattle haat in Bengal’s Bankura district. Sunukpahari is regarded as one of the largest livestock markets in Bengal.
A handful of mahua trees are scattered around the field. Just a week before May 13, the area would have been overflowing with people. Wooden stakes fixed into the earth held rows of cows, goats and sheep tied up for trade. On May 18, the market stands empty. Only the leaves of the mahua trees move occasionally in the dry wind.
The slight breeze provides no relief to 50-year-old agricultural worker Zaidul Sheikh. Standing beside a deserted road near the market, he repeatedly cries out in desperation, “A pair of native chickens for just Rs 400. Only two are left, please take them quickly.”
Sheikh explains that two chickens were all he had carried from his village, almost 15 kilometres away. But there were barely any customers. In the Bankura market, the price of one kilogram of chicken is approximately Rs 400. The two chickens in Zaidul Sheikh’s possession together weighed no less than three kilograms. Even so, he was ready to sell the meat, worth almost Rs 1,200, for only Rs 400, simply to avoid going back home empty-handed.
Anarul Khan and Sebafot Khan, who had travelled nearly 10 kilometres from Bhikurdihi village together with Bibek Sahana, are counterparts to Zaidul Sheikh.
Bibek Sahana said he makes his living through the milk trade and had come to the haat hoping to purchase some cows. “I could not find even a single cow. How will I continue my business now?” he asked.
Anarul Khan and Sebafot Khan stated they had borrowed money from local lenders at steep interest rates to buy cattle from villages, purchasing from Hindu and Muslim households alike. Selling those cattle at the market was their sole source of income. But with every cattle market shut, their livelihoods are now endangered.
“Doesn’t the government realise that if people cannot survive there will be nobody left to care for the animals?” asked Anarul Khan.
In another section of the unnaturally silent haat stood Sheikh Shobha Uddin, who had travelled almost 20 kilometres from Hir village of Anchuri gram panchayat of Bankura 1 Block. Looking around nervously, he said, “I own barely one and a half bighas of farmland. I cannot cultivate it using a tractor. The monsoon is approaching quickly, and I urgently need a bullock for farming. But I found none here today.”
At the Sunukpahari haat, this reporter met small traders Nepal Baguli, Madhu Baguli and Shyamapada Bauri, who operate tea stalls, sweet shops, snack counters and small eateries. “We earn a little only on Monday by setting up our stalls at this weekly market. But now hardly anyone is coming here. There are no customers at all,” says Nepal Baguli.
Livestock traders Nimai Ghose and Janardan Haldar had travelled all the way from Howrah’s Uluberia to Sunukpahari carrying sheep for sale, yet not a single animal was sold. A few others stood quietly beside the roadside with goats, while some vegetable sellers too waited hopelessly for customers.
, Apurba Mondal, one of the principal officials responsible for managing the Sunukpahari haat, said that the market, established in 1967, is a government-registered one.
“Every Monday, nearly 30,000 cows and buffaloes used to arrive here for trade. Cattle traders – regardless of religion – would come not only from various districts of Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha and even Uttar Pradesh for the buying and selling of livestock. Transactions worth several lakhs of rupees used to occur regularly at the haat. Around 63 employees worked at the market, each earning between Rs 400-500 a day. Now everything has stopped completely,” he said.
Mondal alleged that on May 14, officials from Bankura police station called and informed the haat authorities that no cattle would be permitted inside the market premises. “We asked them why cattle could not be brought in when the government had not issued any formal prohibition. But the police gave us no answer,” he claimed.
According to him, this major livestock market, together with several others throughout the state, has effectively ceased functioning. “People keep coming to ask us when the haat will reopen, but we have no answer for them. Police personnel are constantly patrolling the market area,” he added.
He said that there are 56 government-registered livestock markets across the state. Apart from cattle trading, these markets also sustain a broad range of economic activities, including shops selling garments, handicrafts produced by local artisans, seasonal vegetables and various daily necessities. “The entire local economy revolves around these cattle markets,” he remarked.
Meanwhile, traders such as Abu Zoffor Mondal and Sachin Ghose from the Asuria haat in Barjora said they are struggling to maintain and feed the cattle they had bought for sale at the haat.
According to them, several major livestock markets throughout the state, including Kulgachia in Howrah, Ilambazar in Birbhum, and Balarampur in Purulia, are now presenting a deserted appearance.
Police respond
Responding to Apurba Mondal’s allegations, Soumyadip Bhattacharya, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Bankura district, said that the police had not issued any order to close cattle markets anywhere in the district.
He stated that traders bringing cows or buffaloes to the markets must strictly follow existing government rules. “The regulations require that cattle be transported in a humane and comfortable manner, and not in overcrowded vehicles. Proper food and water must also be supplied to the animals during transportation,” he said.
According to the SP, certification concerning the transport and condition of the cattle must be issued by the Animal Resources Development Department. He further added that the market where the cattle are to be sold must be officially registered and equipped with adequate drinking water facilities along with veterinary services. “If these regulations are not followed, cattle will not be permitted to be brought to the market,” he said.
In response to the statement made by the Bankura SP, several cattle traders this reporter spoke to, including Mohammad Fazlu Khan of Bonogram in Chhatna of Bankura, Subal Hembram of Ghoradhara Haat in Ranibandh, and Santosh Haldar of Ilambazar in Birbhum, expressed deep concern and frustration over the newly introduced government directive.
The traders stated that cattle are almost always transported with extreme care, as any injury to the animals would ultimately lead to their own financial loss. They questioned the practicality of the government instructions regarding compulsory certification from the Animal Husbandry Department. “Where are these certificates actually issued? What infrastructure has the government established for the process? Where can we even find veterinary officials?” Haldar asked.
It is evident to everyone that the directive arrived without any proper administrative or veterinary infrastructure and just before the Eid period during which cattle trade reaches its highest point for sacrifices. Cattle markets are not limited to Muslims alone, many traders noted, as numerous Hindu traders and buyers are also actively involved in the business during this season.
The traders stressed that the markets where cattle and buffaloes are bought and sold are all officially registered and function with existing infrastructure and regulations. “I ask whether an atmosphere of fear is being intentionally created at the expense of the livelihoods of lakhs of people dependent on the cattle trade,” wondered Hembram.
Abdul Halim Choudhury, a young butcher from Punisol village in Onda block said that the village alone has nearly 20 beef shops, all of which are now closed. “How are we supposed to survive? If the government stops our work, then it must also provide us with employment,”
Onda Panchayat Samiti Sabhapati (president) Abhirup Khan and Punisol gram panchayat pradhan Abu Bakkar also raised serious concerns regarding the implementation of the government’s directive. According to them, the government has stated that certificates from the panchayat samiti, gram panchayat and veterinary doctors are required before cattle slaughter may take place. “But till now, no official guideline or order has reached us regarding this process,” Khan said.
Last week, Amanat Mallik, a marginal farmer from Angaria village in Joypur, Bankura, brought five cattle to the Kotulpur Gorur Haat (cattle market) for sale. According to Mallik, the animals were seized by the police on the way. Holding back tears, he said, “These are the cattle I raised in my own home. The police have kept them at the Kotulpur police station. I had hoped to sell them to pay for my liver treatment. I do not know what I will do now.”