Eid shoppers seek extra income
Photo Collected
Two friends from Habiganj, Imdadul, 18, and Nazmul, 19, have arrived in Dhaka carrying a sharpening tool for knives and cleavers, hoping to earn extra income before Eid. Both work as construction helpers by trade and have learned the skill of sharpening blades in recent years. They are among many who travel to the capital annually ahead of the sacrificial animal market to supplement their earnings.
The pair were found in the Dayaganj area of the capital on Monday afternoon, seeking work. They explained that both hail from the Baniachong sub-district of Habiganj and have been sole providers for their families since their fathers passed away years ago. Their primary work is in construction, but they also offer blade sharpening services.
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“Every time we come to Dhaka, we hope to earn a little more money,” Imdadul said, using his native dialect. The cost for sharpening varies, with small knives requiring a minimum of 20 taka, and larger cleavers up to 150 taka. They noted that prices can increase if a customer’s financial situation appears particularly dire.
However, Nazmul reported a downturn in business this year. They have spent a week touring areas such as Dhanmondi, Basabo, Motijheel, Wari, and Azimpur, but have found little work. In the past two days, rain has forced them to cut short their working hours.
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The expenses of traveling to Dhaka, accommodation, and food, not to mention the return journey, are significant. Without sufficient work, both friends may have to return home empty-handed, a prospect that has left them worried. “The biggest factor is fate,” Nazmul stated. “If the owner (God) gives us work and we can do it properly, then it will be alright.”
The annual influx of cattle and other animals to Dhaka for Eid al-Adha creates a demand for related goods and services. A group of individuals, including those with other primary professions, capitalize on this by selling fodder like straw and bran, or by offering items such as straw mats (hogla mats) and chopping blocks (khaita) used for meat preparation. These sellers are typically not permanent merchants in these goods.
In Karwan Bazar on Monday afternoon, Ali Hossain, a carpenter in his sixties, spoke of reduced carpentry work and meager earnings. Despite this, he must send money home to his family in his village in Noakhali, which includes his wife, two daughters, and a son. The financial pressure intensifies around Eid.
To meet these obligations and his debt, Ali Hossain has been selling grass, straw, and bran for the past few days, hoping for increased income. “The children must be fed fish and meat during Eid,” he said. He plans to return home on the eve of Eid, expecting to have sold all his stock by then. “If I work for two or three days, I might have two to four thousand taka left,” he added.
A few stalls down from Ali Hossain, Nurunobi sits with straw mats and chopping blocks. He is a seasonal vendor, usually selling fruit, but sets up his Eid-related stall in the days leading up to the holiday.
Nurunobi sells straw mats for between 150 and 220 taka, and chopping blocks ranging from 300 to 450 taka, depending on size. The blocks, traditionally made from tamarind wood, are used for butchering Eid sacrificial meat. He noted that tamarind wood prices are currently “excessively high,” leading him to stock more blocks made from Gab and Boroi wood.
Nurunobi has been engaged in this seasonal business at Karwan Bazar for nearly twenty years. Last year, however, he incurred a loss of about twenty thousand taka. “Last year I was hit hard. About twenty thousand taka,” he recalled. “If God wills it this time, it will be better.”
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