Eid-ul-Adha, also known as the Festival of Sacrifice, holds profound significance in the Islamic calendar. It commemorates the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son in obedience to God's command. Muslims worldwide honor this event by performing Qurbani, the ritual sacrifice of an animal such as a goat, sheep, cow, or camel. This act is a manifestation of devotion, obedience, and charity. However, with the joy and blessings of Eid-ul-Adha comes the responsibility of maintaining cleanliness, especially after the Qurbani. Proper hygiene is vital to prevent disease spread and to respect the environment and community. Preparations Before Qurbani Choose the Right Location Selecting an appropriate location for the sacrifice is the first step in ensuring cleanliness. Ideally, this should be a clean, designated area that is easy to sanitize post-Qurbani. If you are performing the sacrifice at home, choose an open, ventilated space like a backyard or garden. Avoid places where food is prepared or consumed to prevent contamination. Gather Necessary Supplies Before performing Qurbani, gather all the necessary supplies to facilitate an efficient and hygienic process. These include: - Cleaning supplies: Disinfectants, antiseptic solutions, garbage bags, and cleaning tools. - Protective gear: Gloves, aprons, and masks to maintain personal hygiene. - Containers: Clean containers for storing meat and other parts of the animal. - Tools: Ensure all cutting tools are clean and sanitized before use. Read more: What is ‘Zero Waste’ and why is it important? Inform Neighbors It is courteous to inform your neighbors about your Qurbani plans, especially if you live in a close-knit community. This allows them to make necessary arrangements and ensures cooperation in maintaining cleanliness. Encourage your neighbors to follow similar cleanliness practices to keep the entire community tidy. During Qurbani Maintain Hygiene Maintaining hygiene during the Qurbani process is crucial. Use clean and sanitized tools for the sacrifice to prevent contamination. All individuals involved should wash their hands thoroughly and frequently with soap and water to maintain personal hygiene. Additionally, wearing protective gear such as gloves and aprons is important to prevent direct contact with blood and other fluids, further ensuring a safe and sanitary process. Proper Handling of Waste Proper handling of waste generated during Qurbani is essential to prevent contamination and maintain cleanliness. Here’s how you can manage waste effectively: - Separate the edible parts from the waste immediately after the sacrifice. - Use designated bins for different types of waste. Organic waste, such as blood and internal organs, should be disposed of in specific bins and covered properly. - Avoid throwing waste in open areas or public spaces to prevent attracting pests and causing a nuisance to others. Read more: Plastic Pollution: Harmful effects on human health and environment Immediate Post-Qurbani Clean-up Waste Disposal After Qurbani, the immediate disposal of waste is crucial. Pack the waste securely in heavy-duty garbage bags; double-bagging is recommended to prevent leaks and spills. Dispose of the waste at designated locations or waste collection points rather than leaving the garbage bags outside your home or in public areas. This practice helps maintain cleanliness and prevents the spread of disease. Disinfect the Area Once the waste has been disposed of, the area where the Qurbani was performed needs to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Use disinfectants to clean the site, paying special attention to areas with blood and other residues. Wash the area with plenty of water to ensure no traces of blood or waste remain. Additionally, disinfect all tools and equipment used during the Qurbani to prevent any bacterial or viral contamination, ensuring a hygienic environment. Personal Hygiene After completing the clean-up, it is important to ensure personal hygiene. Thoroughly wash your hands and any exposed skin with soap and water to remove any contaminants. Clean and disinfect any protective gear worn during the process, such as gloves and aprons, to prevent the spread of bacteria. If possible, take a shower to ensure complete cleanliness and to feel refreshed after the task. These steps are essential for maintaining personal health and hygiene.

Qurbani is an important religious practice for Muslims to demonstrate their devotion to Allah. In Islam, Qurbani means sacrificing something special, that is approved by religious laws, in Allah’s name for divine blessings.  Qurbani, also known as Eid-ul-Adha/ Eid-ul-Azha or the ‘Festival of Sacrifice’, honors the remarkable story of Prophet Ibrahim and his act of obedience to Allah, serving as a testament to faith and devotion in Islam. This holy occasion is celebrated annually by Muslims around the world, signifying unity, compassion, and willingness to make sacrifices for the sake of Allah. 9 Teachings of Qurbani in Eid-ul-Adha This auspicious occasion remembers the unwavering faith and obedience of Prophet Ibrahim to Allah’s command. At the heart of this festival lies the act of Qurbani, which teaches us valuable lessons about faith, devotion, and selflessness. Let’s explore the profound lessons of Qurbani in Eid-ul-Adha. Obedience to Allah The story of Prophet Ibrahim teaches us that it’s most important to do what Allah asks us to do without questioning it. We should trust that Allah knows what’s best for us and have faith in His plans, even when things are tough. Read more: Top 5 Eid-Ul-Azha, Animal Market Games for Android, iOS Sacrifice and Selflessness Qurbani teaches us about sacrifice and selflessness. It shows us that it’s important to let go of our own wants and think about what others need. During Eid-ul-Adha, we sacrifice an animal to understand the meaning of giving up something valuable for the benefit of others. During Qurban Eid, when Muslims sacrifice animals, their main goal is to cleanse their souls and get rid of negative feelings like greed, resentment, and hatred. It’s a way for them to purify themselves spiritually and focus on kindness, generosity, and love toward others. Gratitude and Thankfulness When we participate in Qurbani, we are reminded of the many blessings given to us by Allah. It encourages us to be thankful for the abundance He provides us with, and helps us realize the importance of appreciating the blessings we have in our lives. Compassion and Charity Qurbani is about being kind and helping people who are in need. It teaches us that it’s important to share the blessings in our lives with others and give to those who don’t have as much as we do.  Read more: 10 Most Hyped Bangladeshi Movies Releasing on Eid-ul-Azha 2023 When we show compassion, we can offer comfort and inspiration to people near us and even far away. We have the power to give useful advice and guidance to those who need it, using our understanding and kindness, to make them feel better. We can share our good luck and love not just with our family and friends but also with strangers and those who need our help.

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh has called upon the capital's residents to get their sacrificial slaughters done by the second day of Eid ul Azha, set to be observed from Sunday. He made the call while talking to journalists after observing the last-minute preparations for the Eid jamaat (congregation) at National Eidgah Maidan on Saturday. “I urge the city dwellers to complete their qurbani (sacrificial slaughter) by the second day of Eid (Monday), not to wait for the third day as workers of the corporation will be removing animal waste from different spots for 72 hours continuously, and they too should get some rest and some time off to celebrate Eid themselves," Taposh said. Elaborating on the massive clean up operation that will be taken up to allow people to enjoy one of the two biggest festivals in the Muslim faith, the Dhaka South mayor informed that the corporation’s workers would start cleaning up around the makeshift cattle markets (haats) from 11: 00pm tonight, and the first slaughter sites from 2pm on the day of Eid (tomorrow). He hoped that the city corporation would be able to remove all wastes within 24 hours as earlier.    Taposh informed that all kinds of preparations have already been completed to hold the Eid jamaat at the National Eidgah Maidan where some 35,000 people will be able to pray together. Also read: DSCC Control Room to oversee waste disposal on Qurbani Eid Dhaka district Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md Shahidul Islam, DNCC Chief Executive Officer Farid Ahamad, Secretary Akramuzzaman, Chief Engineer Saleh Ahmed and among others were present during the visit of the mayor.

Meat is a high quality non-vegetarian food that contains many important vitamins and minerals like Zinc, Iron, Magnesium, Selenium, Phosphorus, etc. Moreover, meat has been an important component of the diet for centuries. However, the meat may become inedible due to several factors such as chemical or enzymatic composition, outside moisture, light, heat, germs, oxygen, etc. These can also create infection of microorganisms like bacteria, mold, which increases the risk of developing various food borne diseases. Read this article to know the ways how to preserve the meat properly to last longer, remain fresh, healthy, and suitable for eating in a bactericidal state. The Main Purpose of Preserving Meat The purpose of preservation depends on individuals. However, the following are the top reasons to preserve meat. - Keep the taste and quality of the meat as intact as possible. - Keep the meat sterile. - To prevent rotting of meat. - Reducing financial losses by controlling the transmission of food-borne diseases by meat People have been using various techniques to preserve meat at home and commercially since ancient times, which has now become more advanced, simpler, and more up-to-date. Let's talk about the ways to preserve meat (beef/mutton) for a long time. Read Is Red Meat Good or Bad for You? Ways to Preserve Fresh Beef or Mutton in Refrigerator/Freezer In food science, meat is included in the list of highly perishable foods. This means that if not stored properly, the meat will spoil very quickly. If the animal is left outside for a long time after slaughtering, the meat becomes very soft. This destroys both the taste and nutritional value of the meat. So, the meat should be stored in the fridge as soon as possible. However, the fridge must be thoroughly cleaned before putting the meat in the fridge. If the fridge is unclean, the meat may smell bad. Or, if you put it with any other smelly food, the stench can come from the meat. Read: Getting ready for Qurbani Also, there are things to keep in mind- - First of all, you have to clean the fridge/ freezer well. Keeping the fridge clean is very important for storing meat for a long time. The fridge is more likely to smell because of previous fish and meat. - The blood from the meat must be thoroughly washed and cleaned before storing it. After washing, it should be kept in a big basket to drain excess water. After the water is drained from the meat, keep it in a polythene or plastic packet and keep it in the fridge by wrapping or closing the packet. - The meat remains hard for three to four hours after the slaughtering. It is better not to keep the meat in the fridge at this time. After this time, if the meat is a little soft, it should be preserved. Read Easy Homemade Drinks to Boost Up Digestion Power Naturally - Keep in mind that the pieces of meat do not get too big. It is better to preserve the meat in small pieces. - Thick and good-quality polythene should be chosen for storage in the fridge. You can even use zip-lock plastic bags. - Each packet of meat can be separated in the fridge with a piece of thick paper in between. Hence, there will be no risk of sticking a packet of meat with other packets. - New and clean packets must be used to preserve the meat. Using old or previously used polythene can cause the smell. - After keeping the meat in the fridge, the temperature should be reduced. The meat will freeze quickly. So, the meat should be stored in the fridge below zero-degree Fahrenheit temperature. Raw meat can be stored for 4-7 days at 40 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition, if you store the meat below zero-degree Fahrenheit temperature, raw beef/mutton will be good for 12 months. Read Necessary Precautions during Qurbani amid Coronavirus Pandemic Since Covid 19 pandemic is going, we have to be careful while storing. However, there is no evidence that people can contact Covid 19 from food or even food packing. But, for safety, washing the refrigerator or freezer is enough.

Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim said that over one crore cattle are ready in the country for Qurbani (sacrifice) during the Eid-ul-Azha this year.