Pandemic strains sacred sacrifice

It is quite frustrating and saddening for Md Belal, a petty supplier of garment accessories to export-oriented apparel industry, as he won’t be able to observe the holy ritual of sacrificing animal on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.

A sharp decline in his income caused by the Covid-19 pandemic deterred him from making such a sacred sacrifice – a sanctified practice that he had been continuing over the past eight years in a row.

The pandemic in its entirety disrupted the whole supply chain and demand for products across the globe.

Belal is one of many hit hard by the devastating effect of coronavirus and struggling to come to terms slashing expenditure.

“Business is no longer the same as it was before the pre-Covid level. My income shrank drastically and I find it hard to make ends meet,” he said.

“It is to some extent embarrassing for me given the fact that I would not be able to observe the ritual of sacrifice this year, which I have been doing for years.”

Every year there is 10 to 15 per cent growth in the number of sacrificial animals, but such was not seen in 2020 due to the pandemic.

According to experts and stakeholders, Bangladesh will witness less sacrifice of animals in line with people’s job loss and dwindling income.

A Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) survey released in last May showed that more than 40 per cent of working population reported that their employment situation was worse than the pre-Covid-19 period.

Nearly 86 per cent of individuals reported that they are not earning enough to meet their daily necessities while around 78 per cent of households had reduced expenditure to cope with the pandemic impact and 52 per cent changed dietary pattern involuntarily, added the report.

“In the wake of declining income and running-out savings, there is an apprehension that people may sacrifice less this year as they are struggling to cope with buying their daily necessities,” CPD Research Director Khondaker Golam Moazzemtold The Business Post.

On the other hand, those who could sacrifice a cow individually would opt to do so sharing with others to be within the budget, said the economist.

“My main source of income was house rent, but due to the ongoing pandemic, four flats of my building remained vacant for the last several months that hit my income severely,” said Syed Al Momen (not his real name), a house owner at Mirpur in the capital.

“This year, I am not thinking about sacrificing a cow, rather I will go for a goat.”

Given the circumstances, economists, tanners and cattle traders are in fear of less sacrifice of animals during this Eid.

Bangladesh Tanners Association General Secretary Md Shakawat Ullah said every year there is an upward trajectory of growth in the number of sacrificial animals, which was not seen last year, and so would be this time either.

“It might cast a negative impact on the collection of rawhide as people are likely to sacrifice less number of animals,” he observed. The tanners normally collect over 80 lakh pieces of animal hides every year, 50 to 55 per cent of which alone come from the occasion of Eid ul-Azha.

Meanwhile, during a visit to several cattle markets in the capital it was learned that traders are not getting optimum response from buyers.

A negative impact on income is not an urban phenomenon only. Distress related to loss of income has also been observed in both urban and rural areas.

“Last year, we three friends shared in the sacred sacrifice, but this year it is five to meet the budget,”said Abdur Razzak, a resident of Morrelganj under Bagerhat district.

A survey of South Asian Network on Economic Modeling finds that Bangladesh’s poverty rose to 42 per cent as of December 2020, which was 21.6 per cent in 2018. Extreme poverty rose to 28.5 per cent last year.

According to the Department of Livestock Services, this year there are about 1.19 crore sacrificial animals available and some 1 crore would be sacrificed.

During the last Eid-ul-Azha,95 lakh cattle were sold for sacrifice.