Dhaka, May 27 -- Prices of sacrificial cattle at Dhaka's makeshift markets have plummeted by more than 50 percent in the final hours before Eid-ul-Azha, with traders reporting heavy losses while buyers welcomed the sharp decline, though poor weather and soaring transport costs are dampening the overall festive mood.

Visits to several cattle markets across the capital on Wednesday revealed a dramatic single-day price drop for medium and large cattle, while smaller animals remained largely steady in price.

At the Notunbazar 100-Feet cattle market, trader Aynal, who brought 19 cattle from Chuadanga, said buyers are now offering Tk 1.20 lakh to Tk 1.50 lakh for animals he had priced at Tk 2.50 lakh.

"If I sell at these prices, I will face ...