Just weeks before Eid-ul-Azha, controversy has erupted over Dhaka North City Corporation's (DNCC) decision to award the lease for Dhaka Polytechnic Institute cattle market to a lower bidder, bypassing a significantly higher offer.

While Giant Enterprise offered Tk 21.7 million, DNCC granted the lease to FF Corporation for just Tk 14 million, raising questions about transparency and causing a potential loss of Tk 7 million in public revenue.

This is not an isolated incident. At Gabtoli, the highest bidder was also overlooked, prompting a re-tender.

DNCC's bid process has drawn criticism as it scrambles to finalize leases for eight temporary cattle markets, with only two awarded so far and others stalled due to court injunctions or bid withdrawals.

Meanwhile, the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) is grappling with its own crisis. Amid political protests and a shutdown at Nagar Bhaban over BNP leader Ishraq Hossain’s unsworn mayorship, DSCC has failed to complete lease agreements for several markets.

As farmers prepare to sell over 12 million animals nationwide for Eid, the uncertainty in Dhaka’s haat management threatens to disrupt this critical seasonal trade, leaving traders and buyers in limbo.