A pale buffalo with blonde hair has become an unlikely celebrity in Bangladesh — because people say it looks like Donald Trump.
As quoted from AFP, the albino buffalo, weighing nearly 700 kilograms, has drawn thousands of curious visitors to a farm in the Narayanganj district near the capital Dhaka. The animal’s cream-colored body, pink nose, and distinctive blonde forelock have earned it a nickname: “Donald Trump.”
“My younger brother named the buffalo Donald Trump because the hair on the front of its head resembles Donald Trump,” farm owner Ziauddin Mridha told AFP.
The Unlikely Celebrity
Albino buffaloes are rare in Bangladesh, where most of the animals are dark-skinned. This one stands out dramatically. Videos and photos spread across social media. News outlets picked up the story. And within days, the farm became an unexpected tourist attraction just days before Eid al-Adha.
Dozens of people visit daily. Some come from distant districts, not to buy the animal — it has already been sold to a customer for Eid sacrifice — but simply to see it. To photograph it. To stand next to a buffalo that reminds them of the 45th and 47th president of the United States.
Mridha says the animal is surprisingly calm.
“Despite its striking appearance, this animal is very quiet,” he told AFP. “This is an albino buffalo, and these types of animals are generally tame and non-aggressive unless provoked.”
The buffalo requires special care. It is bathed four times a day and fed four times a day to keep it healthy before Eid.
A Strange Pre-Eid Tradition
In Bangladesh, unusual or oversized sacrificial animals often make headlines before Eid al-Adha. Some are named after famous politicians, celebrities, or sports figures to attract buyers and curious visitors. The trend has become part of the holiday’s folklore.
This year, the albino buffalo has taken the tradition to a new level.
Its body is pale. Its nose is pink. Its hair is blonde. And for thousands of Bangladeshis, that combination is enough to trigger an immediate mental image of a former American president who has never set foot in their country.
The buffalo does not know it is famous. It does not know it has been compared to a billionaire real estate mogul turned politician. It eats. It bathes. It stands quietly in its pen while strangers line up for photographs.
And soon, it will be sacrificed for Eid.
What This Means for Readers in Bali
For expats and travelers in Bali, the story may seem like a lighthearted distraction — a strange news item from a distant country. But it also offers a glimpse into how Eid al-Adha is observed in different parts of the Muslim world.
In Bangladesh, the holiday is marked not only by prayer and charity but also by a vibrant marketplace of sacrificial animals. Families save for months to buy a cow, goat, or buffalo. The animal’s size, health, and appearance matter. A unique animal becomes a status symbol.
This year, an albino buffalo named after Donald Trump has become the star of that marketplace.
The buffalo will be sacrificed. The meat will be distributed to the poor. And the memory of the strange, pale animal with the blonde forelock will live on in thousands of smartphone galleries.
For now, the crowds keep coming. To see a buffalo. To take a selfie. To laugh at the absurdity of it all.
And for a few minutes, to forget that the animal they are admiring will soon be gone.