Butcher for a day!

Abdullah, a rickshaw-puller, was waiting in front of a blacksmith's shop at Halishahar on Sunday.

Every Eid-ul-Azha, the The 35-year-old transforms into a seasonal buther.

"I have to sharpen my butchering tools as Eid is just around the corner,' he said.

Like him, many low-income people become butchers to earn some extra money.

Such "professionals" from different upazilas gather around cattle markets in Chattogram city's Dewanhat, EPZ, AK Khan intersection, Muradpur, Bakalia, and Sadarghat areas.

Day labourers, rickshaw pullers, transport workers, and many others usually crowd the spot two days before Eid to take up butchering contracts in exchange for money and meat.

"The demand for professional butchers is high, so many hire us instead as we demand lower wages. I even assisted a professional a few times," said Rubel Mia, a vendor in the Bandar area.

It costs around Tk 8,000-20,000 to hire a group of 3-4 professional butchers. The expenses for similar sized groups of seasonal butchers are as low as Tk 2,000, said Fazlul Karim Manik, a trader in New Market's Tamakundi Lane.

"While many workers sell the meat they receive as donations in roadside markets because they live alone, others take the meat home to enjoy a good home-cooked meal with their families on this special day," shared Azizul Islam, a street vendor in the same market.