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Published : 27 May 2026, 04:27 PM
Butchers are in high demand across Dhaka as Eid-ul-Azha approaches with its traditional mass sacrifices.
To meet the huge demand, farmers, day labourers, rickshaw-pullers and three-wheeler drivers are from different districts have come to Dhaka alongside the professional butchers to work as “seasonal butchers” this Eid.
Negotiations are now under way across the capital, with clients fixing rates and scheduling appointments for cutting and processing sacrificial meat.
Insiders said these amateur cutters usually arrive from northern districts a few days before the festival.
They initially assist cattle traders at the makeshift markets, where they also strike deals with buyers to process their animals on Eid day, while others form dedicated teams that travel to the capital every year for the same purpose.
A group of seasonal butchers spotted in the capital's Azimpur on Monday night had all travelled from Rangpur, Gaibandha, and Kurigram.
The leader of the group, Aiyub Ali, said around 300 to 400 people travel to Dhaka from their places of residence every year to work as butchers, with most arriving early alongside cattle traders to work at the markets for the entire week.
He added that they offer their services to cattle buyers, and many book them on the spot when purchasing their animals.
Md Firoz, a farmer from Gaibandha who is part of the team, said he reached Dhaka on Saturday and contacted Ali, adding that he leaves his farm behind to come to the capital during Eid, and has picked up the skill over the last four years.
It is not just farmers. Security guards and daily wage earners also pick up the cleaver during the holidays to bring home some extra cash.
Sujan Miah from Hatia, a day labourer back home, was seen at the Shonir Akhra cattle market on Tuesday morning.
He had been helping a trader at the market for three days and had already bagged two slaughtering deals, charging Tk 8,000 to process each animal, with one on Eid morning and another in the afternoon. He noted that few people sacrifice animals in his village.
Professional butchers say slaughtering fees during Eid are set according to the price, size and weight of the animal.
Slaughtering a medium-sized cow and preparing the meat for cooking fetches Tk 20,000 to Tk 25,000.
Some professionals charge Tk 200 to Tk 250 for every Tk 1,000 of the animal's price.
Seasonal butchers, however, take the full job from slaughter to distribution for Tk 8,000 to Tk 10,000.
