Butchers ready to make a quick buck

Among all the ancillary businesses or professions that benefit from the seasonal boost to economic activity provided by Eid-ul-Azha, no one gains more in prominence or profits than that of the butchers who are most-sought persons on the occasion, reports UNB.

According to city meat traders, around 50,000 skilled, semiskilled and seasonal butchers are getting ready to do a brisk business by skinning sacrificial animals and processing their meats during the three days of the festival.

As dressing cattle and preparing their meats for cooking is not an easy job at all, most people who sacrifice animals on the occasion of Eid, look for butchers to do it fast perfectly, creating a scope for them to charge higher amount of money.

Talking to UNB, skilled butchers said they will be able to earn more than Tk 50,000 on the occasion while the semiskilled and seasonal ones Tk 20,000 to 10,000 as they are getting booked for preparing 5-8 cattle during the three days of the Eid-ul-Azha.

They said they will charge 20-15 per cent of the prices of the sacrificial cows based on their sizes or Tk 200 to 150 per thousand of the cattle prices while Tk 800-1500 for preparing a slaughtered got. However, seasonal butchers charge even below 10 per cent.

Livestock department spokesman Dr Abdul Hailm said nearly five lakh cattle, including cow, buffalo, got and sheep, are supposed to be slaughtered during the Eid in the capital this time, while Robiul Alam, secretary general of Bangladesh Meat Merchant Association, said around 3.5 lakh cows and over 1.50 lakh goats, sheep and buffalos will be sacrificed here. He said there are around 7,000-8,000 skilled and trained butchers in the two cities while around 5,000 half-trained butchers and 2,000-3,000 who have somewhat idea on cattle processing.

Besides, he said, there are 35,000 lowly-paid people like night guards, rickshaw-pullers, day labourers, tea sellers, small vendors and slum dwellers, become seasonal butchers during the Eid-ul-Azha. “So, nearly 50,000 people will work as butchers and butcher assistants during the Eid.”

Belal Hossain, popularly known as Billal Kasai, who works at a butcher shop at Rampura Bazar said he has already been booked for preparing five cows on the Eid day, while three cows and four goats the following day.

He said he will lead a four-member team of butchers. Two of them are skilled butchers while another is semiskilled one.

The 45-year-old butcher said they can prepare a medium-size slaughtered cow in just 50 minutes while the big-size one in one and half hours.

Asked how he will handle five cattle in one day, Billal said they will process three cows in one house while the rest in a nearby houses. “We can mange it as we've an understating with the cattle owners. In the first house, I along with my one assistant will dress the three cows and chopped those while my two other assistants will do the same another house. We'll inter-change it in midway.”

He said they will charge 20 per cent of the cattle prices on the first day of the eid while 15-12 per cent of the cattle price on the second and third days.

Butchers ready to make a quick buck

Among all the ancillary businesses or professions that benefit from the seasonal boost to economic activity provided by Eid-ul-Azha, no one gains more in prominence or profits than that of the butchers who are most-sought persons on the occasion, reports UNB. According to city meat traders, around 50,000 skilled, semiskilled and seasonal butchers are getting ready to do a brisk business by skinning sacrificial animals and processing their meats during the three days of the festival. As dressing cattle and preparing their meats for cooking is not an easy job at all, most people who sacrifice animals on the occasion of Eid, look for butchers to do it fast perfectly, creating a scope for them to charge higher amount of money. Talking to UNB, skilled butchers said they will be able to earn more than Tk 50,000 on the occasion while the semiskilled and seasonal ones Tk 20,000 to 10,000 as they are getting booked for preparing 5-8 cattle during the three days of the Eid-ul-Azha. They said they will charge 20-15 per cent of the prices of the sacrificial cows based on their sizes or Tk 200 to 150 per thousand of the cattle prices while Tk 800-1500 for preparing a slaughtered got. However, seasonal butchers charge even below 10 per cent. Livestock department spokesman Dr Abdul Hailm said nearly five lakh cattle, including cow, buffalo, got and sheep, are supposed to be slaughtered during the Eid in the capital this time, while Robiul Alam, secretary general of Bangladesh Meat Merchant Association, said around 3.5 lakh cows and over 1.50 lakh goats, sheep and buffalos will be sacrificed here. He said there are around 7,000-8,000 skilled and trained butchers in the two cities while around 5,000 half-trained butchers and 2,000-3,000 who have somewhat idea on cattle processing. Besides, he said, there are 35,000 lowly-paid people like night guards, rickshaw-pullers, day labourers, tea sellers, small vendors and slum dwellers, become seasonal butchers during the Eid-ul-Azha. So, nearly 50,000 people will work as butchers and butcher assistants during the Eid. Belal Hossain, popularly known as Billal Kasai, who works at a butcher shop at Rampura Bazar said he has already been booked for preparing five cows on the Eid day, while three cows and four goats the following day. He said he will lead a four-member team of butchers. Two of them are skilled butchers while another is semiskilled one. The 45-year-old butcher said they can prepare a medium-size slaughtered cow in just 50 minutes while the big-size one in one and half hours. Asked how he will handle five cattle in one day, Billal said they will process three cows in one house while the rest in a nearby houses. We can mange it as weve an understating with the cattle owners. In the first house, I along with my one assistant will dress the three cows and chopped those while my two other assistants will do the same another house. Well inter-change it in midway. He said they will charge 20 per cent of the cattle prices on the first day of the eid while 15-12 per cent of the cattle price on the second and third days.