Dr. Muhammad Mahtab Hossain Mazed

Eid-ul-Azha, one of the religious festivals of Muslims, is going to be celebrated next Monday, June 17, 2024. Bangladesh is one of the major Muslim countries in the world. About 91% Muslims live in this country whose main religious festival is Eid.

Among which many cows, buffaloes, goats and sheep are slaughtered during Eid al-Adha. According to the calculations of the Ministry of Livestock, the total number of cattle that can be sacrificed in the country this year is 1 crore 7 lakh 2 thousand 394. There are 52 lakh 684 cows among the animals that can be sacrificed.

Apart from this, 1 lakh 60 thousand 320 buffaloes, 68 lakh 50 thousand 58 goats, 7 lakh 67 thousand 743 sheep. 1850 animals of other species. A large part of these sacrifices will be completed in the Dhaka City Corporation area.

On this day, devout Muslims sacrifice animals according to their ability. But in the absence of proper management and awareness, the possibility of serious environmental pollution from animal blood and waste remains. And there is a risk of spreading various diseases from the waste. That's why we all have to pay attention to overall cleanliness after animal sacrifice. If sacrificial animal waste is not properly cleaned, especially in densely populated areas, it can have serious adverse effects overall.

About 50 percent of the animals slaughtered annually in the country are slaughtered on Eid al-Adha. Slaughtered animal waste - blood, pulse, dung, bones, hooves, horns - has adverse effects on public health including severe environmental damage due to lack of proper management and public awareness. If environmental sacrifice and waste management are done properly, it will be possible to prevent environmental disaster on the one hand, and on the other hand, it will be possible to convert the upper parts of slaughtered animals into resources. Therefore, proper hygiene rules should be followed by taking extra precautions. There are certain things we must observe in the management of sacrificial animal meat and waste.

Due to the dumping of sacrificial animal waste everywhere, it decomposes and spreads foul smell, pollutes the environment. Not only that, various types of disease germs spread from the waste thrown in drains or sewers. There is also the risk of clogging sewers under the pressure of excess waste. A little rain causes waterlogging in the sewers. Then the city corporation or municipality struggles to remove these wastes.

Many times we leave the inedible parts of the sacrificial animal. If the city authorities are not in sight, those parts rot and emit a strong stench. The city authorities, however, issue guidelines on waste disposal before every Eid al-Adha, and conduct public awareness campaigns.

Moreover, more or less campaigns are carried out in almost all media including newspapers, television. Sadly, the truth is, we don't take those things into consideration. We face many problems in this. But if the sacrificial waste is properly managed, the environment will be pollution free and public health will be safe.

One way to dispose of waste is to dig a pit in a field or abandoned place next to the house before the sacrifice. After the sacrifice, animal waste is thrown there and buried. However, care should be taken while digging holes in urban areas so that water and gas pipes, electricity and telephone cables etc. are not damaged in any way.

One way to take effective initiatives to convert waste into resources is to sacrifice many animals together in rural areas and bury the animal waste under the soil, which becomes available for use in the crop fields as organic fertilizer before the next year's sacrifice. After all the sacrifices, the blood-stained streets should be washed and cleaned.

Bleaching powder or disinfectant should be used while cleaning dirty areas so that germs cannot spread. Wide public awareness needs to be created about the benefits of proper waste management and the disadvantages of mismanagement.

However, in areas where there is no suitable place to dig pits, disposal of waste can be done by conventional means. This will reduce the responsibility of the city corporation or municipality to some extent. Besides, the waste will be useful without being wasted.

It is better for those who live in cities to perform the sacrifice in one place rather than in separate places. It facilitates the work of waste management authorities. But care should be taken that the place of sacrifice should be open.

And if the site is close to the road, it will be easier for waste removal vehicles to reach. Everyone should also take care that the dog or cat does not pick up the waste and throw it around. In areas where City Corporation vehicles cannot reach, the garbage should be filled in bags or sacks and kept at designated garbage disposal points.
> In addition to awareness in waste disposal some steps can be taken:-

1. Those who perform sacrifices in their own homes or lawns must clean up the waste at their own risk.

2, Qurbani can be performed at a designated place based on the Mohalla, instead of performing Qurbani individually. It also facilitates the collective removal of waste from specific areas.

3. After sacrifice, a society waste management initiative can be taken by several families of the same building. For example, people may be appointed to remove waste together, who will remove the waste immediately after the sacrifice. It has less impact on the environment as waste disposal is faster.

4. The dung and waste of slaughtered animals should not be separated in the open but should be filled in bags and put in the designated place such as the nearest dustbin or container. From there the responsible authorities can easily remove the waste.

5, After sacrifice at the place of animal slaughter, the blood of the animal should be washed with disinfectant water and bleach should be sprinkled. So that mosquitoes can not lay eggs in smelly or stagnant water.

6. Wash the bloody place: after all the sacrificial activities where animal sacrifice, skinning and cutting of meat will be done; Wash and clean the blood stained area. Use soapy water and sprinkle bleaching powder when cleaning dirty areas to prevent the spread of germs. Dry the area thoroughly.

7.Leather Management: Sell the hides to local traders as soon as possible. Also arrange to donate to different madrasahs, mosques or orphanages.

8, Body safety: In the current corona situation, some other things should be followed as additional precautions. Those who will be involved in sacrifice, skinning and cutting of meat must wear gloves, face mask and disinfected rubber shoes. Before and after the start of Qurbani, the whole body, including both hands, should be thoroughly washed with soap and lukewarm water. It is not permissible to sneeze and cough under any circumstances around sacrificial animals, skin and open meat. Crowding at the place of sacrifice, skinning and meat cutting shall not be allowed. Those performing the acts of Qurbani, if possible, must maintain a distance of at least three feet between themselves.

Finally, after sacrifice, our awareness can keep the surrounding environment healthy. Also let us not limit the word 'sacrifice' to animal sacrifice only. Let our sacrifice be a symbol of truth, beauty and welfare - we will keep an eye on that too. So let everyone have a happy Eid, may we all be exposed to the glory of sacrifice.

The writer is a, Founder Chairman,Jatiya Rogi Kallyan Society