Clean and Healthy Eid

Calculating a budget to buy a sacrificial animal, listing spices and ingredients to get for traditional recipes or downloading new ones to try _ these are some of the preparations people might be taking right now to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha next week. But another important thing to do is to prepare the city and the environment for a clean and healthy Eid, for which the citizens and the authorities all have to work together.  

And keeping things neat and clean when the second most important Muslim festival falls during the monsoon season is an even more difficult task to do. On September 13, 2016, streets in some areas of south Dhaka turned into rivers of blood after a heavy downpour on Eid day as animal wastes mixed with rain water due to lack of proper drainage and waste removal.

That incident opened the eyes of city residents and authorities on the importance of keeping the streets clean and promptly removing garbage during the three-day Eid festivities. Since then, the two city corporations of Dhaka have been taking measures before and after Eid to clean up the city as soon as possible right after the sacrificial rituals are carried out.  

The two city corporations, meanwhile, have decided to set up 25 makeshift cattle markets in the metropolitan area to facilitate the selling and buying of sacrificial animals for Eid-ul-Azha, Masudur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told the media on August 14. .Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) will have 15 markets, while Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) will get 10.  

Both city corporations will set up ‘segregation’ points for slaughtering sacrificial animals in different areas like in previous years, and they will provide all necessary facilities to conduct the sacrificial procedure smoothly. However, the designated places were yet to be finalised when The Weekend Independent talked to city officials August 8-9. Also, though the authorities have decided not to impose any strict rule or penalise people for not using designated spots right now, they will encourage people to adopt the new system for cleanliness.  

Air Commodore M Zahid Hossain, chief waste management officer of DSCC, told this correspondent: “The number of sacrificed animals in south Dhaka was 26,7105 last year. We assume that number will increase by 10 percent this year and we are preparing accordingly. Last year, we had designated 600 ‘segregation’ points for slaughtering animals, but due to increased demand, we ended up setting up 620 points. So this year, we plan to allocate 650 ‘segregation’ points and the procedure of identifying suitable spots is still going on.”

When asked if there is any strict rule or penalty for people not using specified points to sacrifice animals, Hossain replied: “It is a religious festival, so we don’t want to bind people with rules and fines at this stage. So right now, the only thing we can do is to encourage people to use the designated places and inform them about the advantages. For that, we are taking many steps. We are putting up digital banners at every cattle market to give information about the ‘segregation’ points and the benefits of using them. We will also set up sheds at the designated spots so the users can protect themselves if it rains.”

The ‘segregations’ points will also have experts who will be appointed to sacrifice the animals, and well-equipped butchers who will prepare the meat for a fee. Transports will also be available to carry the meat home. So, the process will be swifter and save citizens the trouble of hiring people on their own to carry out the whole process.

“We have approached all the imams of local mosques to encourage people with logic and Islamic viewpoint. The imams were instructed to mention the issue in their sermons at the last Jummah prayers before Eid. We are also contacting different TV channels to arrange special programmes and talk shows about it. Social awareness, TV commercials and leaflets are also ready, too,” the DSCC official added. “We are introducing a new system, and it will take time to change what we are used to doing for so long. So, we have to give it time.”  

Mohammad Fayzullah Ahmed, one of the imams of Faridabad Mosque at Gendaria in Dhaka south, said: “Yes, we were requested by DSCC members to encourage people to use ‘segregation’ points for cleanliness, and we are trying our best to let people know about it. Our religion says to keep our environment clean. Muslim countries in the Middle East do not sacrifice animals on their own at home. They have specific places for it, and usually, they only pay money for the animal and the slaughtering is done by experts and the meat is prepared and sent to the person making the sacrifice. So, there is nothing wrong with this system. But our culture is different and we are habituated to sacrificing animals at our home or on the road. We certainly can take some measures to keep our environment clean. It may take time, but I am sure people will adopt the new system soon.”

Giving his take on designated spots, Mohammad Nasim Uddin, 45, a businessman from Narinda in Dhaka south, said: “We have always seen animals being slaughtered in our house for Eid, and we want to continue like that. It is our culture. It’s the essence of Eid for us, actually, so it is hard to change this tradition, especially for the people of Old Dhaka. So, I don’t think I will sacrifice my animal anywhere else other than my own home, but yes, we will always take care to keep our neighbourhood clean and we will take all necessary measures.”  

Besides designating places for sacrificing animals, the city authorities have taken many other steps to ensure a clean Eid.

“We have ordered over one lakh (100,000) jute sacks that will be distributed to all the households that plan to sacrifice animals. Cleaning of the sewerage system of Dhaka south is also being done. We are ready with 11,000 workers to clean our city area before and after Eid. We will also work with the union parishads that have been proposed to be a part of Dhaka south,” Hossain said. “Hopefully, we will start the cleaning operation by 2pm on Eid day and the programme will be inaugurated by our mayor (Sayeed Khokon). We are trying our best to ensure a clean and healthy Eid for the residents of DSCC, but our effort alone is not enough. The citizens of Dhaka also have to make a little effort to make our scheme successful.”

Dhaka North City Corporation is also taking similar steps to keep the city clean during the three-day Eid festival, which will be celebrated from August 22 to 24.

Brigadier General Zakir Hassan, chief health officer and acting chief waste management officer of DNCC, told this correspondent: “Our data says 232,000 animals were sacrificed last year in Dhaka north, and so we are preparing accordingly. We are still deciding on ‘segregation’ points and we are planning to have at least 36 designated spots in each ward. There are some specified points, too, which are decided locally by the residents of apartment complexes in their own area. Altogether, we hope to have at least 550 ‘segregation’ points this year. We will print separate leaflets for every ward where the points will be. We have also requested the imams of all local mosques to encourage people to sacrifice their animals at the designated places.”

Regarding other preparations, Hassan added: “We have ordered about four lakh (400,000) sacks to distribute all over Dhaka north and we have almost 4,000 workers, including volunteers from different non-profits, ready to keep the city clean. We have also added 56 new vehicles, including garbage trucks, to our transport system ahead of Eid. And we will provide bags of bleaching powder to every household.”

Residents of both city corporations can also collect garbage sacks and bleaching powder from the cattle markets as there will be counters there for distributing the items.   

“Though the scenario won’t change within a year or two, we are already seeing people acting more responsibly; so hopefully, we will see some changes very soon. Even if 30 percent of the people use the ‘segregation’ points and take responsibility for their own society, we will be successful,” the DNCC official said.

Though people in Dhaka south appear less willing to use specified spots as most are permanent residents living in their own houses and thus, better prepared to sacrifice animals at home, for people in Dhaka north, many of whom live in the city in rented housing, ‘segregation’ points are getting more popular.      

Salamat Ullah, 37, a private job holder who lives in Banani, said: “We live in an apartment, and before ‘segregation’ points were introduced, we had to sacrifice our animal in the garage. As other members of the building used the same small space, it was a problem for us as we had to wait our turn. Last year, my family took our animal to a designated spot and it has been a relief for us. We will continue using a specified place as it helps us in many ways, and it is also less time-consuming.”    

Moreover, a clean environment is not enough to have a healthy Eid, we also have to give proper attention to the condition of the sacrificial animals and preparation of the meat for our own health.    

Regarding the health of sacrificial animals and safe ways of storing meat, Mohammad Mahfuzul Hoque, chairman of Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) said: “Our organisation is working to create awareness about healthy animals and healthy meat. We are running campaigns on social media and television channels for this Eid. We will also distribute leaflets at the entrance of every cattle market that will help buyers to identify healthy animals, and they can also seek help from animal health experts there, if needed.”

Hoque added that cooking and preserving meat in a healthy way is equally important. “You should not leave the meat in the open at room temperature for more than four hours, and to preserve the meat for long, it should be kept in a freezer at minus-18 Celsius, and the meat should be kept in separate airtight packets for individual use. And the frozen meat must be defrosted and boiled properly every time it is cooked later.”           

The city authorities, meanwhile, have also taken steps for preventing the use of harmful steroids and hormones in cattle.n

Photos: Nabiulla Nabi, File.

 

Clean and Healthy Eid

Calculating a budget to buy a sacrificial animal, listing spices and ingredients to get for traditional recipes or downloading new ones to try _ these are some of the preparations people might be taking right now to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha next week. But another important thing to do is to prepare the city and the environment for a clean and healthy Eid, for which the citizens and the authorities all have to work together. And keeping things neat and clean when the second most important Muslim festival falls during the monsoon season is an even more difficult task to do. On September 13, 2016, streets in some areas of south Dhaka turned into rivers of blood after a heavy downpour on Eid day as animal wastes mixed with rain water due to lack of proper drainage and waste removal. That incident opened the eyes of city residents and authorities on the importance of keeping the streets clean and promptly removing garbage during the three-day Eid festivities. Since then, the two city corporations of Dhaka have been taking measures before and after Eid to clean up the city as soon as possible right after the sacrificial rituals are carried out. The two city corporations, meanwhile, have decided to set up 25 makeshift cattle markets in the metropolitan area to facilitate the selling and buying of sacrificial animals for Eid-ul-Azha, Masudur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told the media on August 14. .Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) will have 15 markets, while Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) will get 10. Both city corporations will set up segregation points for slaughtering sacrificial animals in different areas like in previous years, and they will provide all necessary facilities to conduct the sacrificial procedure smoothly. However, the designated places were yet to be finalised when The Weekend Independent talked to city officials August 8-9. Also, though the authorities have decided not to impose any strict rule or penalise people for not using designated spots right now, they will encourage people to adopt the new system for cleanliness. Air Commodore M Zahid Hossain, chief waste management officer of DSCC, told this correspondent: The number of sacrificed animals in south Dhaka was 26,7105 last year. We assume that number will increase by 10 percent this year and we are preparing accordingly. Last year, we had designated 600 segregation points for slaughtering animals, but due to increased demand, we ended up setting up 620 points. So this year, we plan to allocate 650 segregation points and the procedure of identifying suitable spots is still going on. When asked if there is any strict rule or penalty for people not using specified points to sacrifice animals, Hossain replied: It is a religious festival, so we dont want to bind people with rules and fines at this stage. So right now, the only thing we can do is to encourage people to use the designated places and inform them about the advantages. For that, we are taking many steps. We are putting up digital banners at every cattle market to give information about the segregation points and the benefits of using them. We will also set up sheds at the designated spots so the users can protect themselves if it rains. The segregations points will also have experts who will be appointed to sacrifice the animals, and well-equipped butchers who will prepare the meat for a fee. Transports will also be available to carry the meat home. So, the process will be swifter and save citizens the trouble of hiring people on their own to carry out the whole process. We have approached all the imams of local mosques to encourage people with logic and Islamic viewpoint. The imams were instructed to mention the issue in their sermons at the last Jummah prayers before Eid. We are also contacting different TV channels to arrange special programmes and talk shows about it. Social awareness, TV commercials and leaflets are also ready, too, the DSCC official added. We are introducing a new system, and it will take time to change what we are used to doing for so long. So, we have to give it time. Mohammad Fayzullah Ahmed, one of the imams of Faridabad Mosque at Gendaria in Dhaka south, said: Yes, we were requested by DSCC members to encourage people to use segregation points for cleanliness, and we are trying our best to let people know about it. Our religion says to keep our environment clean. Muslim countries in the Middle East do not sacrifice animals on their own at home. They have specific places for it, and usually, they only pay money for the animal and the slaughtering is done by experts and the meat is prepared and sent to the person making the sacrifice. So, there is nothing wrong with this system. But our culture is different and we are habituated to sacrificing animals at our home or on the road. We certainly can take some measures to keep our environment clean. It may take time, but I am sure people will adopt the new system soon. Giving his take on designated spots, Mohammad Nasim Uddin, 45, a businessman from Narinda in Dhaka south, said: We have always seen animals being slaughtered in our house for Eid, and we want to continue like that. It is our culture. Its the essence of Eid for us, actually, so it is hard to change this tradition, especially for the people of Old Dhaka. So, I dont think I will sacrifice my animal anywhere else other than my own home, but yes, we will always take care to keep our neighbourhood clean and we will take all necessary measures. Besides designating places for sacrificing animals, the city authorities have taken many other steps to ensure a clean Eid. We have ordered over one lakh (100,000) jute sacks that will be distributed to all the households that plan to sacrifice animals. Cleaning of the sewerage system of Dhaka south is also being done. We are ready with 11,000 workers to clean our city area before and after Eid. We will also work with the union parishads that have been proposed to be a part of Dhaka south, Hossain said. Hopefully, we will start the cleaning operation by 2pm on Eid day and the programme will be inaugurated by our mayor (Sayeed Khokon). We are trying our best to ensure a clean and healthy Eid for the residents of DSCC, but our effort alone is not enough. The citizens of Dhaka also have to make a little effort to make our scheme successful. Dhaka North City Corporation is also taking similar steps to keep the city clean during the three-day Eid festival, which will be celebrated from August 22 to 24. Brigadier General Zakir Hassan, chief health officer and acting chief waste management officer of DNCC, told this correspondent: Our data says 232,000 animals were sacrificed last year in Dhaka north, and so we are preparing accordingly. We are still deciding on segregation points and we are planning to have at least 36 designated spots in each ward. There are some specified points, too, which are decided locally by the residents of apartment complexes in their own area. Altogether, we hope to have at least 550 segregation points this year. We will print separate leaflets for every ward where the points will be. We have also requested the imams of all local mosques to encourage people to sacrifice their animals at the designated places. Regarding other preparations, Hassan added: We have ordered about four lakh (400,000) sacks to distribute all over Dhaka north and we have almost 4,000 workers, including volunteers from different non-profits, ready to keep the city clean. We have also added 56 new vehicles, including garbage trucks, to our transport system ahead of Eid. And we will provide bags of bleaching powder to every household. Residents of both city corporations can also collect garbage sacks and bleaching powder from the cattle markets as there will be counters there for distributing the items. Though the scenario wont change within a year or two, we are already seeing people acting more responsibly; so hopefully, we will see some changes very soon. Even if 30 percent of the people use the segregation points and take responsibility for their own society, we will be successful, the DNCC official said. Though people in Dhaka south appear less willing to use specified spots as most are permanent residents living in their own houses and thus, better prepared to sacrifice animals at home, for people in Dhaka north, many of whom live in the city in rented housing, segregation points are getting more popular. Salamat Ullah, 37, a private job holder who lives in Banani, said: We live in an apartment, and before segregation points were introduced, we had to sacrifice our animal in the garage. As other members of the building used the same small space, it was a problem for us as we had to wait our turn. Last year, my family took our animal to a designated spot and it has been a relief for us. We will continue using a specified place as it helps us in many ways, and it is also less time-consuming. Moreover, a clean environment is not enough to have a healthy Eid, we also have to give proper attention to the condition of the sacrificial animals and preparation of the meat for our own health. Regarding the health of sacrificial animals and safe ways of storing meat, Mohammad Mahfuzul Hoque, chairman of Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) said: Our organisation is working to create awareness about healthy animals and healthy meat. We are running campaigns on social media and television channels for this Eid. We will also distribute leaflets at the entrance of every cattle market that will help buyers to identify healthy animals, and they can also seek help from animal health experts there, if needed. Hoque added that cooking and preserving meat in a healthy way is equally important. You should not leave the meat in the open at room temperature for more than four hours, and to preserve the meat for long, it should be kept in a freezer at minus-18 Celsius, and the meat should be kept in separate airtight packets for individual use. And the frozen meat must be defrosted and boiled properly every time it is cooked later. The city authorities, meanwhile, have also taken steps for preventing the use of harmful steroids and hormones in cattle.n Photos: Nabiulla Nabi, File.