The government today designated specific spots for sacrificing animals during this year's Eid ul-Azha, urging people to use the makeshift facilities for the entire process of animal sacrifices.

Secretary of the Local Government, Rural Development & Co-operatives (LGRD) Abdul Malek today said that the government has designated specific spots for sacrificing animals during this year's Eid ul-Azha.

While presiding in an inter-ministerial meeting at the secretariat, he said that the number of designated spots, imams/maulanas and butchers have been listed in the major cities, while the listing for all the smaller municipalities is still ongoing.

He said that although the decision is not to be imposed, the step has been taken balancing religious sentiments and the need for expediting sacrificial animals' waste disposal and other hygiene issues.

All the city corporations and municipalities have been instructed to take necessary steps in this regard.

This system has been employed in other countries such as Saudi Arabia and Malaysia, where it becomes easy and swift to finish off the formalities, transfer the meat and dispose the wastes in an organised manner.

This year, the secretary added, it will be expected to collect the waste and clean the premises within 24 hours of Qurbani, so that no hygiene issues may arise.

The number of designated spots, imam/moulanas and butchers fixed so far are as follows:

Location               No. of Designated Spots               No. of Designated Imams    No. of Designated Butchers

Dhaka North City Corp   200                                         300                                         205

Dhaka South City Corp   324                         360                         275        

Chittagong City Corp       387         750         ---          

Khulna City Corp               155         170         175        

Narayanganj City Corp   190         200         ---          

Gazipur City Corp             414         1 for each spot  1 for each spot 

Rajshahi City Corp            150         377         275        

Rangpur City Corp            33           ---           ---          

Barisal City Corp                140         280         175        

Sylhet City Corp                                27           70           ---          

The figures, although fixed, may increase over time, due to additional demands.