More than 91 lakh animals were sacrificed across Bangladesh during this year’s Eid-ul-Azha, according to data released by the Department of Livestock Services.
A press release issued on Tuesday stated that 91,36,734 animals were sacrificed nationwide. This included 47,05,106 cows and buffaloes, 44,30,668 goats and sheep, and 960 other animals. The department also reported that 33,10,603 animals remained unsold, citing high supply as a recurring challenge during the festival.
Among the divisions, Rajshahi recorded the highest number of sacrifices with 23,24,971 animals, followed by Dhaka (21,85,040) and Chattogram (17,53,732). Other divisions reported the following figures:
Rangpur: 9,64,999
Khulna: 8,04,224
Barishal: 4,00,783
Mymensingh: 3,83,162
Sylhet: 3,19,823 (the lowest)
Rawhide collection falls short
Despite the high number of animal sacrifices, rawhide preservation fell well below expectations. The Bangladesh Tanners Association had set a target of collecting 1.5 crore hides, but as of Tuesday, the Ministry of Commerce reported that only 17,50,413 hides had been preserved across five divisions.
Data from Dhaka, Rajshahi, and Mymensingh divisions was still pending at the time of reporting.
The ministry's control room provided the following division-wise breakdown:
Chattogram Division: 7,74,563 hides (7,00,261 cow/buffalo, 74,302 goat) — the highest among reported divisions
Khulna Division: 3,46,794 hides (3,19,112 cow/buffalo, 27,682 goat)
Rangpur Division: 2,81,000 hides (2,25,000 cow/buffalo, 56,000 goat)
Sylhet Division: 2,07,362 hides (1,85,362 cow/buffalo, 22,000 goat)
Barishal Division: 1,80,694 hides (1,66,693 cow/buffalo, 13,863 goat)
The significant gap between animal sacrifices and rawhide preservation has raised concerns within the leather industry, as improper handling and lack of timely preservation may lead to substantial waste and economic loss.