Butchers fly from Saidpur to Dhaka for Qurbani cattle slaughter

Nadim Quraishi is more commonly known in his locality as “Chhotu Nadim.” He is 55 years old and serves as the president of the Saidpur Meat Traders Association. On the day before Eid, he will travel to Dhaka by plane with a team of ten.. Their tickets have already been booked.

Chhotu Nadim said, “Our fathers and grandfathers also used to go to Dhaka during Eid-ul-Azha to work. Even now, people call for us. From skinning the animal to cutting the meat into pieces and separating the bones, every task requires skill. We grew up learning these jobs from childhood.”

As Eid-ul-Azha approaches, a different kind of hustle and bustle begins in the meat markets of Saidpur town and surrounding areas. Alongside the noise of cattle markets, preparations by butchers heading to Dhaka also intensify. Like every year, more than a hundred butchers from Saidpur will travel to the capital this year as well to slaughter sacrificial animals and process the meat. Some will go by bus, some by train, and many by air. After spending several days during Eid going house to house in different areas of Dhaka to slaughter cattle, they will return to their hometown, Syedpur.

A large number of the butchers like Chhotu Nadim belong to the Bihari community. They have been engaged in the meat trade and butchery for generations. They have the specialised skills in slaughtering animals and cutting meat, and there is a distinct demand for them in Dhaka.
According to Chhotu Nadim, butchery is also a form of art. Precisely slaughtering animals, skinning them without damaging the hide, and neatly portioning the meat, all of these require skill.

Chhotu entered the profession about 20 years ago, following in his father’s footsteps. Since then, he has been coming to Dhaka every Eid. He has worked in the homes of many elite families in the capital. At one time, he even slaughtered sacrificial cattle at the residence of former Dhaka mayor and minister Sadeque Hossain Khoka. Chhotu said that Khoka also arranged accommodation for them.

Last year, Chhotu and four assistants slaughtered 12 cattle in Dhaka. In total, they earned around 200,000 taka. He gave each assistant 20,000 taka and also covered their travel expenses himself.

This year, the team has increased to 10 members. They plan to divide the group into three parts for work. Many families have already booked them in advance.

Butchers from Saidpur municipal meat market such as Fazle Rabbi, Naushad Ali, and Khairat Hossain—like Chhotu Nadim—are also going in separate groups. They have purchased airline tickets through local travel agencies. Fazle Rabbi said, “Before Eid, there are fewer passengers on flights to Dhaka because everyone is traveling from Dhaka to Saidpur at that time. So airlines reduce fares. We take advantage of that opportunity.”

Butcher Md. Mintu expresses a different reality of Eid. He said, “Everyone wants to celebrate Eid with their family. But we go to Dhaka in search of extra money. The payment for cutting meat in Dhaka is much higher.”
According to him, in Saidpur, preparing a cow worth 100,000 taka earns at most 8,000 taka. But in Dhaka, the same work pays 20,000–25,000 taka. An experienced butcher can process at least 10 cattle over the three days of Eid. So after three days of work, many return home with good earnings.

Many families in Dhaka now know the butchers of Saidpur by name. Many even keep their mobile numbers saved. Mustakim, a butcher from Factory Gate Market in Saidpur town, said, “Earlier my father used to go to Dhaka. He mainly worked in apartments in Gulshan and Banani. For the last three years, I have been going to the addresses given by him. We are even provided accommodation in the garages of those apartments.”

After Eid, they return home, some by plane, some by bus or train. And their busy old lives begin all over again.