50 animals sacrificed on Paris Ground against target of 500

Dhaka North City Corporation announced a Tk 1,000 cash incentive for those sacrificing cattle at the designated place, Paris Ground in Mirpur, expecting 500 animal slaughters.

But only 50 cattle were sacrificed at the field under ward No. 3 on Eid-ul-Azha day on Monday despite an awareness campaign to use the designated places for cleanliness.

Under nearby ward No. 7, four designated places were used for sacrificing around 1,200 cattle heads, said Councillor Md Tofazzal Hossain.

“This practice has continued for several years. But I’m not aware of the incentives,” he said.

Ziaur Rahman, executive officer of DNCC Mirpur Zone-2, blamed a lack of campaign in the predominantly non-Bengali ward No. 3 for the failure to meet expectations.

He also alleged non-Bengali residents tend to break the rules.

And there were some other problems, including recent work to fill up the ground, Ziaur added.

He hoped they would be able to overcome the problems in future.

“People used vans or rickshaws to take home the meat. DNCC volunteers helped them,” he said.

While inaugurating the work to remove Eid cattle waste at ward No. 7 in the afternoon, Mayor Atiqul Islam said the job to dispose of the waste becomes easy if people use the designated places for animal sacrifice.

Besides the incentives for the first time for cattle slaughtering at Paris Ground, the DNCC allocated Tk 800,000 for filling up the field, putting up a canopy, appointing volunteers, arranging water and other things, officials said.

WHY APATHY TO USE DESIGNATED PLACES

The two city corporations of Dhaka started working on the idea of animal sacrifice at specific places in 2015.

In the beginning, the response from the city dwellers was tepid, but it was expected that their interest would increase over time.

But it did not happen, leading Dhaka South City Corporation to scrap the idea of animals being slaughtered at designated places.

This year, the North City Corporation also pulled out of the animal slaughtering initiative at certain locations.

Speaking to bdnews24.com on the eve of Eid, DNCC spokesman Mukbul Hossain said people’s indifference led the city corporation to not designate any place this year, but the two neighbourhoods of Mirpur.

“People actually prefer to perform sacrifices in front of their houses, in garages or in convenient places,” he said.

Kazi Zahirul Islam, councillor of ward No. 3 where the Paris Ground is situated, told bdnews24.com: “Actually, we are used to breaking the rules. It will take time to change. But now waste is removed from at least 70 percent of my area within the deadline. The remaining 30 percent will be done at one time if we get cooperation.”

KM Mamun Rashid, councillor of ward No. 12 under DSCC, said that sacrificing animals in front of the house has become a part of the culture.

“Moreover, it is difficult to cut meat at designated places. That is why we have withdrawn from this initiative,” he said.

Abu Zafar Ahmed, a resident of Wari, said, “Children want to see the slaughtering or cutting of the meat. Family members also want to see the sacrifice in front of the house, and help a little.”

“Sacrifice is actually a festival, an occasion of joy. The designated places don’t provide that joy or family atmosphere.”