Meat traders in the capital are going on a six-day strike from today, demanding a stop to “excessive tax collection” by the lessee in the city's only permanent cattle market at Gabtoli.

“If our demand is not met within a week, we will go for an indefinite strike. We will stop selling beef and mutton throughout the city,” Robiul Alam, secretary general of Bangladesh Meat Merchants' Association, told The Daily Star after the traders formed a human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club yesterday.

Consumers fear that the strike would push up prices of beef and mutton in the city where around 2,000 cattle and 5,000 goats are slaughtered daily. Besides, this would cause chicken prices to go up.

Robiul claimed that the lessee of the Gabtoli Cattle Market is collecting tax from meat traders at rates meant for buyers other than the traders.

The traders have been paying between Tk 200 and Tk 5,000 in tax for each animal over the last nine months, and most of them couldn't make profit due to “excessive tax collection” by the lessee, he alleged.

For the traders, the tax fixed by the city corporation is Tk 50 for a cow, Tk 70 for a buffalo, and Tk 15 for a goat or a ram. But for other buyers, the tax is 3.5 percent of the price of cattle and goats.

“We have filed complaints with Dhaka North City Corporation against the lessee many times,” said Robiul, alleging that the DNCC is not monitoring the cattle market properly.

Despite repeated attempts, The Daily Star couldn't reach the lessee, Lutfor Rahman.

Contacted, Lutfor's Manager Sanwar Hossain refuted the allegation.

He said they collect tax at a rate of 3.5 percent of cattle price from buyers other than the traders. “We don't collect tax more than the fixed rate from the licensed traders.”

Asked, DNCC Chief Executive Officer Mesbahul Islam said they would solve the problem through discussions with both sides.

The DNCC monitors the market regularly, and it would take action if the traders can come up with proof of excessive tax collection, he added.

Talking to this correspondent, a number of consumers and restaurant owners voiced concern about the strike.

“It's very bad news for me. I prefer meat to fish,” said Sahabuddin Mia, a hardware trader, who frequents restaurants around his workplace at Farmgate.

Selima Aktar, an official at a private firm, said she keeps beef and mutton on the family's menu at least two days a week.

“I have been doing this for years to ensure protein intake for my family members. If the strike continues, I will face problems,” she said.

Anwar Hossain Belu, senior vice president of Bangladesh Restaurant Owners Association, said beef prices remained stable for the last one month. “The sudden strike will create a crisis in the market and lead to a hike in prices.”

This is the peak season for weddings and picnics, and the strike would hurt both consumers and businesses, he said.

According to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh, retail prices of beef were Tk 430-450 a kg in the last one week and those of mutton were Tk 580-650 a kg.