Sylhet is witnessing a surplus of sacrificial animals ahead of this year’s Eid-ul-Azha, with supply outstripping the local demand, officials said.

According to the Department of Livestock, more than 308,000 cattle, goats, sheep and other animals are ready for sacrifice across the division, while the estimated demand stands at around 271,500. This indicates that Sylhet will not face any shortage of animals during the upcoming festival.

“There is no reason to worry about a possible crisis. Farmers and households have an adequate stock of animals, and thousands more come from other districts each year,” said an official at the Department of Livestock in Sylhet.

In recent years, many expatriates from the region have shown a preference for sacrificing large bulls. 

While locally such animals are limited in number, cattle from Kishoreganj, Netrokona, Mymensingh, and Kushtia are expected to meet the demand, as in previous years, the official added.

Data from the Sylhet Divisional Livestock Office show that a total of 308,515 animals have been prepared for the occasion. 

These include 130,756 bulls, 32,368 oxen, 37,392 cows, 5,420 buffaloes, 77,646 goats, 24,014 sheep, and 919 other animals.

Dr Maruf Hasan, Director of the Divisional Livestock Office, said, “Our preliminary estimate shows a demand for 271,500 sacrificial animals in Sylhet division. However, the actual demand might be slightly lower this time. In contrast, over 308,000 animals are available with the farmers. So, we do not anticipate any supply shortage during Eid.”

Meanwhile, the Department of Livestock has also said the availability of domestic and farm-reared animals is higher than in previous years, reducing dependency on imported livestock or animals from distant districts.