Tale of river island cowboys
Bangladesh is home to various cattle breeds but the tale of the struggles of cowboys, especially those hailing from the riverine chars, often goes unheard.
Since his childhood, 35-year-old Afzal Hossain has been swimming across the mighty Brahmaputra river amid risk of life to reach char for rearing cattle of other people. He hails from Chilmari upazila in Kurigram.
Like Afzal, a number of cowboys have been trying to change their lot by rearing cattle of owner of domestic animals in the riverine chars of Brahmaputra under Kurigram Sadar, Ulipur, Rowmari, Rajibpur and Chilmari upazilas for years.
Every day they swim in the river along with the cows to reach the char where the cattle get sufficient grass to eat and water to drink. They leave home for grazing the cows at dawn and return before the sunset. When the cattle get busy eating grass, all cowboys hangout in the char. They sing bhawaiya and bhatiali songs. Some of them are also skilled in playing the bamboo made flute.
Each cowboy gets Tk 8,000 to Tk 10,000 per month from the cattle owner for rearing 10 to 15 cows in the river char. Apart from this, they get meals from the owner daily.
Sharing a snippet from his life, Afzal Hossain from Astamir char in Chilmari upazila of the district said he has been working as a cowboy since his childhood. Every day he along with 15 cows swims in the river to feed the cattle in the char. He gets Tk 10,000 from the owner per month for rearing the cattle. Alongside, the cattle owner gives him meal for two times a day.
Afzal further said every day he has to cross the river for at least four times a day to go to one char from another char with the cattle. He has been swimming across the mighty river amid risk of life for years to run his family. However, the cows are very skilled in swimming.
Another cowboy Khaleq Islam from char Kodalkati said solvent people in char areas have the ability to buy cattle but cannot rear them as they do other jobs.
He further said they make a lot of money for cattle owners by rearing cows on the char, but none of them can own cattle as the owners forbade them to bring their cows into the herd. Apart from this, most people of their community do not have ability to buy cattle.
His family lives on what he gets by rearing cattle of other people in the river char as a cowboy, said Khaleq.
Khaleq added that the story does not end here. They even cannot take meal at noon while rearing cows in the river char. They only eat food, provided by the cattle owner, at dawn and night. After all this, they have to depend on the chars of Brahmaputra for their livelihood at the end of day.
Solaiman Ali, a cattle owner of Char Jadurchar of Brahmaputra in Rowmari upazila, said he has a herd of 15 cows and a cowboy, who is paid Tk 9,000 monthly. Besides, the cowboy gets meals for two times daily.
Solaiman also added he earns Tk 3.50 lakh every year by selling cows. They are really blessed with the river char where the cattle get sufficient green grass to eat and water to drink free of cost
Golam Farooq, a veterinary surgeon of Livestock Department in Kurigram, said it is seen that there is strong immunity system, developed in the people of char area and their domestic animals due to nature's blessings. Due to this, the cattle in the river char area rarely get sick.
However, livestock department officials often visit the char areas and give advice to the farmers on how to rear their cattle, he said.
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