A legal notice has been submitted urging the Bangladeshi government to remove restrictions on the import of live cattle and packaged halal beef, citing the potential to significantly reduce retail beef prices and alleviate food inflation. The notice was sent on Monday by Md Mahmoud Hasan Mamun, a Supreme Court lawyer, to several government bodies including the cabinet division, commerce ministry, fisheries and livestock ministry, Department of Livestock Services, Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission, and the National Board of Revenue.

The notice calls on the authorities to take necessary action within 15 days to lift the current import controls. It highlights that beef prices in Bangladesh currently range between Tk780 and Tk850 per kilogram, a level that is unaffordable for many low-income and poor households and which contributes to broader nutritional challenges in the country.

In the notice, Mamun referred to the economic principle of comparative advantage to argue that domestic cattle production in Bangladesh involves high costs due to limited grazing land and shortages of animal feed. These factors restrict local supply and serve to keep prices elevated.

By easing import restrictions, the notice suggests, beef could be made available at lower prices—potentially around Tk250 per kilogram—thereby improving accessibility for poorer segments of the population and reducing the overall inflationary pressure on food items.

The government has yet to issue an official response to the notice. Meanwhile, stakeholders in the livestock and agriculture sectors continue to debate the balance between protecting local producers and ensuring affordable food supplies for consumers.