Eid-ul-Azha animal sacrifice

Other sides of trades

Eid-ul-Azha, the second biggest festival of the Muslim, not only brings an economic bonanza for the cattle traders but also for other businesses that cash in on this occasion and makes quick bucks. According to some estimates, the size of the Eid-ul-Azha economy is believed to be around Tk 31,000 crore, of which at least Tk 22,000 crore alone comes from cattle sales. Here we look at some other businesses that too depend on the trade in sacrificial animals.

A field day for them  

The road by the right of Bhola Mia’s paan shop at Bibir Bazar in Kamrangir Char, which normally buzzes with the noise of a busy day, is quiet for the past few days. Usually, one can hear the hissing sound of sharpening of knives, bill-hooked cutters, meat cleavers, choppers, axes and such. This, after all, is home to some 2,000 ‘boti dhar wala’, or people who sharpen the kitchen ‘boti’ (bill-hooked cutters).

Aloke Karmakar, 64, running a shop for all these kitchenwares for the last 20 years, said: “Normally, mostly butchers come to my shop to sharpen their tools. But ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, most knife-sharpeners mount their grinders on a wooden frame and leave this place for the city across the river to meet the huge demands. They provide door-to-door services, as people pull out their knives and cutters during the occasion.”

He said that they usually earn Tk 2,000 per day at this time of the year; against Tk 300 on “regular” days. Asked why he wasn’t out, Karmakar said two of the employees from his smith shop had gone out on his behalf. “I am too old for this now,” he replied with a broad grin.

Seasonal Business

Fakhrul Alam, 42, is a boatman, who crisscrosses the Shitalakhya, ferrying people. For one week during every Eid-ul-Azha, he, however, changes his profession. He becomes a seasonal grass, hay, lentil (daal) husk and wheat husk seller. “It's good money”, he told The Independent.

Alam started selling these cattle food in the capital during Eid-ul-Azha for the last ten years. He got the idea of this business when he used to ferry people who brought cattle food from countryside to the capital at this time of the year.

“I talked with some of them and found out that it's a good business. So I decide to proceed with the business myself,” he said.

According to Alam, a bundle of green grass this year costs Tk 25, one bundle of hay costs Tk 30, a branch of jackfruit leaves Tk 20, a bundle of mango leaves Tk 20, lentil husks cost Tk 30 per kg, while wheat husk costs Tk 45 per kg.

“I usually make Tk 1,500-3,000 daily during this last week before Eid-ul-Azha, depending on which qurbani haat I can have access to sell these cattle foods. Usually, the business is good in front of large qurbani haat like Gabtoli, Agargaon and Chankher pu,” he said.

Alam said that he brought the grass and hay from villages of Narayanganj and Bikrampur and his brother had a van. “So he also helps me in this business,” he said.

Gourmet’s choice

Meanwhile, inflation may be eating into the daily kitchen budget, but grounded spices remain the gourmet’s choice for preparing the delicacies of Eid-ul-Azha. The going rate of a traditional stone grinder at the Kotowali wholesale market surely reaffirms it.

Upon a visit to the Kotowali market, which has about a hundred stone grinder shops and workshops, The Independent found that those shops were doing brisk business over the past couple of days.

Ayan Biswas, 27, owner of one such shop, said they had grinders of various sizes but the medium-sized ones were the most in demand. “It costs about Tk 280 per piece,” he said, adding that the large one costs Tk 400, and the small one Tk 100.

“I sold about 30 stone grinders yesterday,” Biswas said. “Business is good at this time of the year apart from buying a new one, many people also come here to refurbish their existing grinders by polishing them.”

Khaitta, Chatai   

Shakharibazzar is famous for selling two popular items for Eid-ul-Azha — “Khaitta,” a chopped circular wooden piece used to chop meat, and “Chatai,” a mat woven with reeds to keep the sliced meat temporarily.

Usually, the principal buyers of these are the butchers of nearby Koshaituli, but for the last couple of days of Eid-ul-Azha, they are being sold around the city.

 Altaf Mia has brought over 6,00 Chatai for this qurbani Eid from Shibpur, Narshingdi. “For the last one month, we were preparing these ahead of Eid,” he told The Independent

Altaf said, by profession, he was a furniture-maker working with bamboo and cane. “But selling Chatai during this time of the year is more lucrative,” he said.

Meanwhile, people like Suruz Ali bought Khaitta and Chatai from this wholesale market of Shakharibazaar and to sell them in vans in front of qurbani haat or regular kitchen market before Eid.

“People across the capital don't have time to come here (Shakharibazzar) to buy these things. So I take these to their doorsteps,” said Suruz Ali.

Ali said this year, a ‘Khaitta’ would cost between Tk 250 and Tk 350, while a “Chatai” would be sold for Tk 100 to Tk 250.

For that last wash

It is not only those running tailoring shops who are having a spring time; the laundry owners, too, have nothing to complain about. With Eid-ul Azha following close on the heels, just over two months after Eid-ul-Fitr, most men, say laundry owners, are re-using the “Panjabi” they bought for the earlier Eid.

“There is hardly any time to show off new clothes on Eid day. I have to take care of the animal and then prepare its meat,” says Golam Morshed, an investment bank employee. “Besides a ‘panjabi’ is not something that I would wear on a regular basis, so last Eid’s clothes will do for the day as well,” he said

Iftekhar, an employee at ‘Calcutta dry cleaners’ in Dhanmondi, says business is better than ever during Eid-ul-Azha. “While we get lots of order for dry-wash of panjabi before Eid, after the festival it’s the clothes with blood stain that we have to wash,” he says.

But tailoring shops for women aren’t doing badly either. “We were booked solid two weeks ago to deliver on the eve of Eid. We haven’t been taking new orders for days,” says Miraz, a tailor at ‘New Stylo’ in Jhigatola.

After cows go, the dung comes in handy

Eid-ul-Azha caters business thus pleasure for even people of different religions. Meet Dhiraj for instance. If you think cleaning the mess is not a thing to like, you haven’t met Dhiraj yet.

“I clean cattle dung and, in fact, collect those from the Qurbani haat,” he told The Independent.

Yes, nothing at ‘qurbani haat’ goes waste, not even the dung. Workers like Dhiraj clean the shallow drains that run between the rows of cattle and collect the dung in baskets.

 “I pile it at one corner of the haat and gather it in a large basket later', he said.

Dhiraj says the dung will later be dried and made into dung cakes, called ‘ghute’ locally. “Cow dung cakes have a great demand in slum areas for use as fuel for cooking'

Dhiraj says he will also sell the dung to nurseries to be used as fish feed.

 

Eid-ul-Azha animal sacrifice

Other sides of trades

Eid-ul-Azha, the second biggest festival of the Muslim, not only brings an economic bonanza for the cattle traders but also for other businesses that cash in on this occasion and makes quick bucks. According to some estimates, the size of the Eid-ul-Azha economy is believed to be around Tk 31,000 crore, of which at least Tk 22,000 crore alone comes from cattle sales. Here we look at some other businesses that too depend on the trade in sacrificial animals. A field day for them The road by the right of Bhola Mias paan shop at Bibir Bazar in Kamrangir Char, which normally buzzes with the noise of a busy day, is quiet for the past few days. Usually, one can hear the hissing sound of sharpening of knives, bill-hooked cutters, meat cleavers, choppers, axes and such. This, after all, is home to some 2,000 boti dhar wala, or people who sharpen the kitchen boti (bill-hooked cutters). Aloke Karmakar, 64, running a shop for all these kitchenwares for the last 20 years, said: Normally, mostly butchers come to my shop to sharpen their tools. But ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, most knife-sharpeners mount their grinders on a wooden frame and leave this place for the city across the river to meet the huge demands. They provide door-to-door services, as people pull out their knives and cutters during the occasion. He said that they usually earn Tk 2,000 per day at this time of the year; against Tk 300 on regular days. Asked why he wasnt out, Karmakar said two of the employees from his smith shop had gone out on his behalf. I am too old for this now, he replied with a broad grin. Seasonal Business Fakhrul Alam, 42, is a boatman, who crisscrosses the Shitalakhya, ferrying people. For one week during every Eid-ul-Azha, he, however, changes his profession. He becomes a seasonal grass, hay, lentil (daal) husk and wheat husk seller. Its good money, he told The Independent. Alam started selling these cattle food in the capital during Eid-ul-Azha for the last ten years. He got the idea of this business when he used to ferry people who brought cattle food from countryside to the capital at this time of the year. I talked with some of them and found out that its a good business. So I decide to proceed with the business myself, he said. According to Alam, a bundle of green grass this year costs Tk 25, one bundle of hay costs Tk 30, a branch of jackfruit leaves Tk 20, a bundle of mango leaves Tk 20, lentil husks cost Tk 30 per kg, while wheat husk costs Tk 45 per kg. I usually make Tk 1,500-3,000 daily during this last week before Eid-ul-Azha, depending on which qurbani haat I can have access to sell these cattle foods. Usually, the business is good in front of large qurbani haat like Gabtoli, Agargaon and Chankher pu, he said. Alam said that he brought the grass and hay from villages of Narayanganj and Bikrampur and his brother had a van. So he also helps me in this business, he said. Gourmets choice Meanwhile, inflation may be eating into the daily kitchen budget, but grounded spices remain the gourmets choice for preparing the delicacies of Eid-ul-Azha. The going rate of a traditional stone grinder at the Kotowali wholesale market surely reaffirms it. Upon a visit to the Kotowali market, which has about a hundred stone grinder shops and workshops, The Independent found that those shops were doing brisk business over the past couple of days. Ayan Biswas, 27, owner of one such shop, said they had grinders of various sizes but the medium-sized ones were the most in demand. It costs about Tk 280 per piece, he said, adding that the large one costs Tk 400, and the small one Tk 100. I sold about 30 stone grinders yesterday, Biswas said. Business is good at this time of the year apart from buying a new one, many people also come here to refurbish their existing grinders by polishing them. Khaitta, Chatai Shakharibazzar is famous for selling two popular items for Eid-ul-Azha Khaitta, a chopped circular wooden piece used to chop meat, and Chatai, a mat woven with reeds to keep the sliced meat temporarily. Usually, the principal buyers of these are the butchers of nearby Koshaituli, but for the last couple of days of Eid-ul-Azha, they are being sold around the city. Altaf Mia has brought over 6,00 Chatai for this qurbani Eid from Shibpur, Narshingdi. For the last one month, we were preparing these ahead of Eid, he told The Independent Altaf said, by profession, he was a furniture-maker working with bamboo and cane. But selling Chatai during this time of the year is more lucrative, he said. Meanwhile, people like Suruz Ali bought Khaitta and Chatai from this wholesale market of Shakharibazaar and to sell them in vans in front of qurbani haat or regular kitchen market before Eid. People across the capital dont have time to come here (Shakharibazzar) to buy these things. So I take these to their doorsteps, said Suruz Ali. Ali said this year, a Khaitta would cost between Tk 250 and Tk 350, while a Chatai would be sold for Tk 100 to Tk 250. For that last wash It is not only those running tailoring shops who are having a spring time; the laundry owners, too, have nothing to complain about. With Eid-ul Azha following close on the heels, just over two months after Eid-ul-Fitr, most men, say laundry owners, are re-using the Panjabi they bought for the earlier Eid. There is hardly any time to show off new clothes on Eid day. I have to take care of the animal and then prepare its meat, says Golam Morshed, an investment bank employee. Besides a panjabi is not something that I would wear on a regular basis, so last Eids clothes will do for the day as well, he said Iftekhar, an employee at Calcutta dry cleaners in Dhanmondi, says business is better than ever during Eid-ul-Azha. While we get lots of order for dry-wash of panjabi before Eid, after the festival its the clothes with blood stain that we have to wash, he says. But tailoring shops for women arent doing badly either. We were booked solid two weeks ago to deliver on the eve of Eid. We havent been taking new orders for days, says Miraz, a tailor at New Stylo in Jhigatola. After cows go, the dung comes in handy Eid-ul-Azha caters business thus pleasure for even people of different religions. Meet Dhiraj for instance. If you think cleaning the mess is not a thing to like, you havent met Dhiraj yet. I clean cattle dung and, in fact, collect those from the Qurbani haat, he told The Independent. Yes, nothing at qurbani haat goes waste, not even the dung. Workers like Dhiraj clean the shallow drains that run between the rows of cattle and collect the dung in baskets. I pile it at one corner of the haat and gather it in a large basket later, he said. Dhiraj says the dung will later be dried and made into dung cakes, called ghute locally. Cow dung cakes have a great demand in slum areas for use as fuel for cooking Dhiraj says he will also sell the dung to nurseries to be used as fish feed.