Observance of Eid amid post-Sidr realities
Tuesday, 25 December 2007
THOUGH Eid is about enjoyment and festivities to be shared among the members of the Muslim community, the Eid-ul Azha this time did not bring unmixed delight for all in the country. In fact, it came amidst an atmosphere of utter sorrow and misery in the south-western districts of the country where the cyclone Sidr had left a trail of devastation in its wake recently. Life is yet to return to normality in the cyclone-hit districts. Hunted down relentlessly by hunger, disease and fear of uncertainty about the future, without any shed over their heads, death is staring constantly in the face of these hapless people of the 30 south-western districts battered by the devastating cyclone of November 15.
Against this backdrop, the occasion of such great religious festivity of the Muslim community has brought the inhabitants of Barguna, Bagerhat, Patuakhali and such other districts face to face with a stark reality. It is not only about their inability to celebrate the occasion in the present situation that saddened their mind, the occasion also evoked the pleasant, yet aching memory of how they had enjoyed the same festival with their near and dear ones last year. There are also some places like Sharankhola where the people could not simply celebrate the occasion.
However, the district administration, different philanthropic bodies, political parties and individuals did still try to bring some delights of the Eid among the otherwise distressed people of the south-western districts of the country by slaughtering sacrificial animals on their behalf and distributing the meat of the animals among them. The army in particular procured some 50 tonnes of Eid-ul Azha meat from Dhaka and Chittagong cities for the cyclone-afflicted people. This meat has been able to at least avert the still harsher reality that the inhabitants of the cyclone-hit areas and their children might go totally without food during this Eid-ul Azha.
The cyclone Sidr has not simply stolen the joy of Eid from the lives of the affected people in the south-western districts of the country. It has also affected other less delightful and mundane, but utilitarian aspects of the religious festival, especially the Eid-ul Azha. This year the fallout of the cyclone has extended its harmful impact on those other utilitarian aspects of life, too. The farmers, who rear cattle in the countryside for selling those in the Eid market, have also been the losers this year. For the occasion is a source of cash earning for those farmers. A large part of the heads of cattle that was being raised in the south-western districts has already been destroyed. However, cattle farmers of the affected as well as the adjoining districts who could somehow scrape through the catastrophe or those from other areas where the cyclone did not reach were naturally looking forward to this time of the year to sell their animals at a higher price.
Unfortunately, the overall economic situation in the country has dashed their hopes, too. The supply of sacrificial animals was more in the market than that in the last year or before but buyers were fewer in numbers. Neither the farmers who raise cattle, nor the usual cattle traders could make any significant profit from the sale of the cattle this time. So, the brisk business from cattle trading that has been the usual sight every year was also missing this time. So, compared to the previous years, the Eid-ul Azha this year was not one of unmixed joy and festivities.
Against this backdrop, the occasion of such great religious festivity of the Muslim community has brought the inhabitants of Barguna, Bagerhat, Patuakhali and such other districts face to face with a stark reality. It is not only about their inability to celebrate the occasion in the present situation that saddened their mind, the occasion also evoked the pleasant, yet aching memory of how they had enjoyed the same festival with their near and dear ones last year. There are also some places like Sharankhola where the people could not simply celebrate the occasion.
However, the district administration, different philanthropic bodies, political parties and individuals did still try to bring some delights of the Eid among the otherwise distressed people of the south-western districts of the country by slaughtering sacrificial animals on their behalf and distributing the meat of the animals among them. The army in particular procured some 50 tonnes of Eid-ul Azha meat from Dhaka and Chittagong cities for the cyclone-afflicted people. This meat has been able to at least avert the still harsher reality that the inhabitants of the cyclone-hit areas and their children might go totally without food during this Eid-ul Azha.
The cyclone Sidr has not simply stolen the joy of Eid from the lives of the affected people in the south-western districts of the country. It has also affected other less delightful and mundane, but utilitarian aspects of the religious festival, especially the Eid-ul Azha. This year the fallout of the cyclone has extended its harmful impact on those other utilitarian aspects of life, too. The farmers, who rear cattle in the countryside for selling those in the Eid market, have also been the losers this year. For the occasion is a source of cash earning for those farmers. A large part of the heads of cattle that was being raised in the south-western districts has already been destroyed. However, cattle farmers of the affected as well as the adjoining districts who could somehow scrape through the catastrophe or those from other areas where the cyclone did not reach were naturally looking forward to this time of the year to sell their animals at a higher price.
Unfortunately, the overall economic situation in the country has dashed their hopes, too. The supply of sacrificial animals was more in the market than that in the last year or before but buyers were fewer in numbers. Neither the farmers who raise cattle, nor the usual cattle traders could make any significant profit from the sale of the cattle this time. So, the brisk business from cattle trading that has been the usual sight every year was also missing this time. So, compared to the previous years, the Eid-ul Azha this year was not one of unmixed joy and festivities.