Around 900,000 cows to be sacrificed in Dhaka city

Traders show sacrificial cows in Dhaka
Prothom Alo File Photo

Around 900,000 cows will be sacrificed in Dhaka city during this Eid, according to officials of both the Dhaka city corporations. Around 600,000 will be sacrificed in Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and around 300,000 in Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC).

Officials of DNCC’s waste management department said that around 300,000 cows may be slaughtered in the different wards of the south city. And around 150,000 goats may also be sacrificed on the occasion.

DSCC’s chief waste management officer Md Badrul Amin, speaking to Prothom Alo, said that there may be less animals sacrificed in the south city this time as compared to previous years.

Taking the overall coronavirus situation into consideration, it is estimated around 600,000 cows will be slaughtered this Eid. Preparations for waste disposal has been taken accordingly. He said there will be no formal inauguration of the waste disposal drive in the south city. The cleaners have already started the work, he said.

It is estimated that alongside the cows, around 250,000 to 300,000 goats will also be slaughtered in the south city.

Public relations officer of DSCC Md Abu Naser said, 10 teams have been formed to supervise the waste disposal in the areas under DSCC jurisdiction including the cattle ‘haats’.

A control room has also been set up. These steps have been taken to supervise the waste disposal of the cattle market waste and, from 2:00pm today, Wednesday, till 2:00pm 24 July, in all areas of the south city.

DNCC’s deputy chief waste management officer (additional duty) Md Mofizur Rahman Bhuiyan, speaking to Prothom Alo at 11:45am Wednesday, said garbage trucks, pickups and other vehicles were being sent to various areas to collect the waste. Mayor Md Atiqul Islam has inaugurated the waste disposal drive at 2:00pm Wednesday from the cattle ‘haat’ in Bhatara.

However, the van service cleaners have already started clearing the waste. The waste disposal drive has been planned with an estimate of around 300,000 cows being slaughtered on the day.

Around 11,508 workers of DNCC and 10,000 of DSCC will be engaged in disposing the waste on Eid day.

In the south city, 90 trucks, 53 compactors, 12 water vehicles, 102 garbage trucks, 14 pay-loaders, 81 container carriers, 9 tyre dozers, 2 trailers, 9 skid loaders – around 400 vehicles and equipment – will be used to clear the waste.

The north city will be using its own garbage trucks, heavy equipment, and water bowsers, and will outsource addition vehicles for the job.

From the day before Eid, dump trucks, open trucks, heavy equipment, water vehicles, pickup vans – 493 vehicles in all – have been ready to dispose the waste. Antibacterial liquid will be sprayed from the 11 water bowsers, DNCC has said.