Online Qurbani Gains Ground as Bangladeshis Embrace Digital Cattle Markets

As Eid al-Adha approaches, online Qurbani platforms are witnessing a sharp rise in popularity across Bangladesh, with urban residents increasingly turning to digital cattle markets, live-weight sales and home-delivered sacrificial meat services to avoid the hassles of traditional livestock bazaars.

Living with her parents in a private apartment in Dhaka’s Gulshan area, Labiba has not visited a cattle market since the COVID-19 pandemic. With no open space available around her residence for Qurbani arrangements, she has been purchasing both cows and goats online for the past several years.

Labiba, who works as a CFO at a private company, said she once bought a cow from a traditional market only to discover later that the animal was sick and suffering from fever.

“Bringing the animal home was also troublesome. There was always uncertainty about whether the animal was healthy, and finding a good butcher after Qurbani was difficult too. That’s why I’ve been completing the entire process through Bengal Meat for the past few years,” she said.

A similar experience was shared by Singapore expatriate Md. Ripon, whose ancestral home is in Khilgaon. He previously purchased sacrificial animals from Gabtoli and Jatrabari cattle markets. However, after a post-pandemic incident in which a cow’s rope snapped on the way home and injured a person, he shifted entirely to online-based farm service Sukher Khamari.

Explaining why he has continued buying from the same farm for three consecutive years, customer Saddam Hossain said he purchased two cows this year, including one he had selected since last year.

“I could buy based on live weight. They also provided free delivery and two days’ feed. Last year’s experience was smooth too, and the cattle were not excessively fattened,” he added.

Continuous rainfall over the last two days also pushed many consumers toward digital cattle markets. However, on May 26, Dhanmondi resident and garment factory employee Tanvir Hasan found most established online farms already sold out.

He said many online sellers completed bookings a week earlier and started deliveries from May 25. Eventually, he purchased cattle from a farm in Nawabganj after browsing Facebook pages and YouTube channels.

Social media platforms and agriculture-focused digital channels such as Cholti Krishi, Chaka Bangla and Chitrapuri Krishichitra have also played a major role in promoting organic and healthy sacrificial cattle through live-streamed online markets.

This year, cattle trading continued on Bikroy.com, while PRAN-RFL Group’s e-commerce platform Othoba.com newly entered the online Qurbani market.

Khondokar Tasfin Alam, Executive Director of Digital Transformation at PRAN-RFL Group, said all cattle listed on their platform were sold out.

“We had around 70 to 80 cattle in total. Most came from our own farms while the rest were supplied by vendors. Interest in purchasing cattle online is growing rapidly,” he said.

Observers noted that online cattle markets are now offering far more transparency than before. Each animal is displayed with live videos, photographs, age verification through teeth count, breed details and certified veterinary health reports. Prices are fixed using digital scales and live-weight calculations, while escrow services and mobile financial transactions are helping ensure payment security.

This year, Chapainawabganj-based Aponjon Agro sold 60 of its 86 sacrificial cattle online through e-commerce platforms. Managing Director Asif Ahnaf said the company partnered with five banks to offer free delivery and a 20 percent discount on processing services during Eid.

Meanwhile, Dhaka-based Protein Market completed its seventh consecutive year of online cattle sales. Proprietor Saiful Alam said all 58 cattle were sold through live-weight transactions after pre-booking opened two months earlier.

The average price remained below Tk 150,000, with live weights ranging from 180 to 260 kilograms.

Online demand has also encouraged smaller farms to expand operations. Manikganj’s Sarkar Agro increased its seasonal cattle stock from just 30 animals three years ago to nearly 150 this year.

Similarly, Purbochal Cattle Farming reported that nearly all of its cattle had been booked before Eid due to strong digital demand.

Bashila-based Meghdubee Agro sold around 1,000 cattle this season, significantly higher than last year. Manager Wahid described the online response as “extremely positive.”

Online cattle marketplace Gorur Hat Dotcom, operating from Pabna since 2020, stopped taking orders from May 25 after all 95 cattle were sold within five days.

Founder Sagar Ahmed said local cattle weighing around three maunds sold for Tk 120,000 to Tk 150,000, while crossbreed cattle weighing up to seven maunds fetched between Tk 160,000 and Tk 170,000.

He added that rising feed prices and increasing competition from industrial farms contributed to higher cattle prices this year.

Beyond animal sales, complete Qurbani processing and meat delivery services are also gaining traction. Bengal Meat has now completed 12 years of offering home-delivered sacrificial meat services.

The company’s Head of Corporate Sales, Sadekul Islam, said they are processing 590 sacrificial animals this year, including 390 cows and 200 goats. Among the cows, 95 are being processed as shared Qurbani portions.

The company will deliver meat not only in Dhaka but also in Chattogram and Sylhet.

“About 93 percent of our customers are repeat clients,” he said.

According to Bengal Meat officials, cattle sales started two months ago and the company exceeded its sales target one day earlier than scheduled due to overwhelming customer demand.

Tasdeekh Habib, co-founder of Sukher Khamari, said customers are now choosing online farms not only to avoid market crowds but also to ensure naturally raised and healthy cattle.

He noted that most buyers are repeat customers and sales were completed a week before Eid. This year, the platform sold 96 cattle, with the highest demand for animals priced between Tk 150,000 and Tk 250,000.

Industry insiders say online Qurbani gained significant momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic through initiatives by the E-Commerce Association of Bangladesh and government-backed digital programs such as Aspire to Innovate (a2i) and Amar Gram.

According to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, sacrificial animal sales across physical and online markets exceeded Tk 60,000 crore in 2023. That year alone, 463,096 animals were sold through online platforms and social media channels.

Although no centralized statistics have been collected this year, sector insiders estimate that online cattle sales have grown by at least 20 to 25 percent compared to previous years.

Experts and business owners believe increasing trust in digital payments, home delivery services, transparent live-weight pricing, professional photography, drone footage and live-streamed animal showcases are transforming online Qurbani into a mainstream part of Bangladesh’s Eid economy.

DBTech/IH/MUIM/OR