Every Eid, Mohammed Siraj Miah buys a red bull for Qurbani. His father did the same before him. 

This year, he arrived at Chowdhury Hat -- a temporary cattle market in Chattogram city's Dokkhin Pahartali area -- with the same intention. But after hours of searching, the specific red bull his family had always bought was nowhere to be found.

The breed is called Lal Birish locally, or Red Chittagong Cattle (RCC). For generations, it was the bull of choice in Chattogram -- prized not just for its reddish coat but for its meat quality, adaptability, and deep cultural roots.

"Earlier, there were more of those local red bulls. Now I see many different types. I still want a red one, but finding the kind I prefer has become harder," Siraj said.

His experience points to a significant shift in Chattogram's Qurbani cattle market. 

Livestock officials describe RCC as Chattogram's only officially recognised indigenous breed, historically concentrated in Satkania, Anwara, Hathazari, Raozan and Patiya. 

For many families, buying one was as much about identity as it was about tradition. But the breed is gradually disappearing. 

Chattogram's demand for sacrificial animals this Eid stands at 8,18,681. Of those, only an estimated 32,000 to 35,000 are pure RCC bulls -- a fraction of what the market needs.

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Only an estimated 32,000 to 35,000 of Chattogram’s 818,681 sacrificial animals this Eid are pure Red Chittagong Cattle (RCC) bulls. Photo: Star

The shortage is increasingly being offset by Shahiwal crosses and other red-coated breeds, forcing buyers to adjust their preferences as well.

Cattle trader Mohammed Mamun from Bibirhat noticed the shift clearly. "Earlier, customers directly asked for an RCC bull. Now many simply ask whether it is red." 

Another buyer, Saidul Islam, put it plainly: "My father used to insist on RCC. Now if the size is good and the price is reasonable, breed matters less."

The reason for RCC's decline is straightforward, according to Chattogram District Livestock Officer Md Alamgir. "RCC is gradually disappearing due to crossbreeding and because other breeds gain weight more quickly." 

Faster-growing crossbred cattle are simply more attractive to farmers chasing market returns.

"Since RCC is our local breed, preserving it is our responsibility," Alamgir said.

Yet, according to Alamgir, even as the breed fades, the tradition it inspired holds firm. The colour stays the same. Only the cattle are changing.