Good times for seasonal butchers
This is butchers’ time.
During the three days of Eid-ul-Azha, this group of professionals is poised to make more money than any other ancillary business that benefits from a seasonal boost.
Not just the skilled ones, semi-skilled and seasonal butchers are also getting ready to do brisk business by skinning sacrificial animals and processing their meat during the festival across the country.
In Chattogram, a number of people, mostly low-income groups from different upazilas, will turn into seasonal butchers during the time. Many from the south-east part of the country are also arriving in the port city to earn a quick buck.
Take rickshaw-puller Rafiqul Alam for example. The 35-year-old Noakhali resident arrived in the city yesterday morning.
“Usually, I pull rickshaw to support my three-member family in Noakhali. I came to the [port] city with three others before Eid to dress cattle and prepare meat. I get to earn some extra money this way,” Rafiqul said.
He was speaking to this correspondent in Dewanhat area in the evening. He said he has been doing this for last three years.
Like Rafiqul, many part-time butchers can be seen in city’s Dewanhat, Muradpur, New Market, Oxygen intersection and Bahaddarhat areas. Many of them work in groups, once hired.
They said rate for dressing a cattle and preparing its meat for cooking varies on the size of animal and their skills. They usually charge Tk 3,000-5,000 per cattle.
“As hundreds of sacrificial animals will be slaughtered during Eid, this is a good opportunity for us to make some extra money,” said Mohammad Yunus, a day labourer turned butcher.
“Professional butchers charge hefty amount as they are in high demand whereas we [part-timers] charge reasonable fees,” said the 22-year-old construction worker.
Lokman Hakim, a tea vendor in Port Market area, said, “Last year, I earned Tk 1,000 by cutting and preparing a cow and got around 2kg meat for my children from the owner.”
Meanwhile, professional butchers are also upbeat.
Monir Hossain, a seasoned butcher from Bandar Natun Market area, said, “We usually do eight to 10 assignments on Eid day. It’s true that seasonal butchers are not skilled like us, but we also hire them as helping hand.”
Port city residents, on the other hand, know very well how hard it is to find a butcher, that too a skilled one, on time.
“It’s hard to get professional butchers during Eid. I know a group of three seasonal butchers, who are day labourers by profession. Every Eid, they prepare our sacrificial animal by noon,” Shazedul Islam, a banker, told The Daily Star.