News Flash
KHULNA, May 13, 2025 (BSS) - In preparation for Eid-ul-Azha, the second-largest religious festival for Muslims, the Department of Livestock (DoL) in Khulna Division has completed a comprehensive training programme aimed at ensuring the safe slaughter, proper skinning and meat preservation of sacrificial animals.
As part of the government's broader initiative to supply healthy animals and curb unethical practices in cattle fattening, the training focused on discouraging the use of harmful steroids and drugs used to artificially fatten animals.
The programme was designed to raise awareness and build skills among those directly involved in the sacrificial process.
Participants in the training included professional and seasonal butchers, imams, madrasa students, meat traders and other key stakeholders.
According to DoL officials, a total of 1,896 professional butchers and 2,016 seasonal butchers, along with imams and students, successfully completed the training. Additionally, 341 community awareness meetings (Uthan Baithak) were held across the division.
The DoL collaborated with the Islamic Foundation, mosque imams, skin traders, cattle farm owners and other relevant parties to organize these sessions.
Training also extended to 212 DoL officials and 9,328 cattle farm owners, focusing on the harmful impact of artificial fattening methods on human health.
In support of the campaign, the department conducted 721 awareness meetings, visited 5,546 healthy cattle farms, and distributed 27,747 informational leaflets and posters.
Furthermore, DoL teams inspected 6,433 naturally fattened cattle farms and distributed an additional 23,111 leaflets and posters to promote safe meat production practices.
While talking to BSS, Dr Nurullah Md Ahsan, Director of the DoL in Khulna division, said that the fattening of cattle artificially using steroids and various other harmful drugs witnesses a rise ahead of Eid-ul-Azha across the cattle markets of 10 districts in the division and elsewhere in the country.
He said some traders supply such animals to cattle markets across the country for making quick bucks despite their seriously harmful effects on human health.
As part of the move to stop the selling of such animals, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has planned to deploy a total of 19,098 veterinary medical teams in 3,978 cattle markets across the country, including the Khulna division, during the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha.
"People want to buy healthy and attractive animals, but some are deceived by dishonest traders," Dr. Ahsan said. "The government is placing strong emphasis on this issue this year."
He added that the DoL, in coordination with district administrations, has conducted educational outreach and promoted scientific methods of cattle fattening and care.
These initiatives aim to protect public health and also support the proper handling of animal by products, especially hides which can generate valuable foreign exchange through export.
Dr. Ahsan also reminded that under the Fisheries and Animal Feed Act-2010, individuals using steroids unscientifically face up to one year in jail, a fine of up to Tk 50,000, or both.
Natural fattening methods are safe for human consumption, he emphasized, adding that proper skinning and preservation of sacrificial animals is not only vital for hygiene but also holds economic importance through the leather export industry.
