Residents of the areas under Tangail municipality face a considerable health risk as the municipality lacks a slaughterhouse, with meat traders slaughtering animals indiscriminately in open spaces. Also, the animals and their health are not screened at all the kitchen markets.

Tangail is one of the oldest municipalities in Bangladesh, which got the status of a municipality in 1887. It was later awarded the status of a first-class municipality. Yet, the authorities have not been able to establish any permanent and modern slaughterhouse at any bazaar in the city.

A slaughterhouse was established in the northwestern corner of Tangail stadium in 1978 under the supervision of the then Army camp officer. Belayet Hossain, an employee of the municipality, looked after it. Since then, the municipality has been using it as a shed.  District Krira Sangstha, the owner of the plot, had opposed the slaughterhouse. Locals, too, had opposed it. Consequently, the slaughterhouse was abandoned in 1998.

The municipal authorities established a small slaughterhouse at Park Bazaar, where meat was being sold. The shed was demolished in 2011 with a view to replacing with a new and big one. But it was also abandoned following a tug-of-war between the municipal and upazila land office authorities over the ownership of the land. Since then, the municipality has not had any slaughterhouse.

Meat traders Gaznobi and Abdul Kader of Battala Bazaar said, “We slaughter the animals next to the Louhagonj river at Paradisepara everyday. The meat is carried to the bazaar on rickshaw vans. Nobody from the municipal authority comes to take care of it.”

Khoka Mia of Park Bazaar said, “We slaughter animals in front of our shops in open spaces. Then we sell the meat. Sometimes the municipal employees come and put their stamp on the slaughtered carcass, such as of a cow or a bull.”  

On visiting Park Bazaar, Bottala Bazaar, Baby Stand Bazaar and Sabalia Poura Bazaar, it was learned that the meat traders were slaughtering animals in open places as they liked. Only one Abul Basher is employed by the municipal authorities for slaughtering. But it is impossible for a single person to slaughter such a huge number of animals everyday.

The meat traders, therefore, slaughter animals as and where they please. Muster roll employee Hasmot Ali puts stamps on the slaughtered animals, marking them as bull, cow, goat, she-goat and ram. Under the law, the livestock and sanitary department is supposed to screen such animals before slaughter. But because of the shortage of manpower, the two departments cannot send veterinary doctors to examine the animals.

Beef buyer Abdur Rashid of College Para, who comes regularly to Park Bazaar, said, “There is no scope for screening the animals before slaughtering. We buy on good faith. A modern slaughterhouse here is the need of the hour. Examination before slaughter must be made mandatory.”

Swapon Shaha regularly comes to buy mutton at the same bazaar. He said, “I cannot be sure whether the mutton is a he-goat or a she-goat. We are not aware how the goats have been slaughtered. Again, beef and mutton are being sold side by side. Proper distance should be maintained.”

Sanitary inspector Abdul Kader Sirajul Islam said, “The municipal authorities ensure that no sick animal can be slaughtered. They look after and identify cow, bull, goat, she-goat and ram. But they do not have any modern mechanical equipment for screening the animals. They examine these animals with their naked eyes.”

Tangail civil surgeon Dr Sharif Hossain said, “Diseases like anthrax can spread and cause health hazards if the cattle are slaughtered in open spaces. Such diseases can infect all involved in the processes of slaughtering, processing, washing and cooking. Anthrax infections have occurred several times in Gopalpur, Madhupur and Dhanbari upazilas of the district. The environment gets polluted. The municipal authorities should build a slaughterhouse immediately.”

Md. Shahjahan Mia, secretary of Park Bazaar Meat Traders Association, said, “The municipal authorities and the assistant commissioner (AC) (land) of Tangail Sadar recently visited some locations suitable for setting up slaughterhouses. A slaughterhouse is a dire necessity. It will be established soon.”