With the holy festival of Eid-ul-Azha just two weeks away, hopes are running high among the low-income residents of the remote char areas of Faridpur, who see the occasion as their biggest economic opportunity of the year.
Spanning across three upazilas of the district, the chars (shoals) along the Padma and Arial Khan rivers are home to thousands of families, most of whom rely on livestock farming for their livelihood.
Each household typically raises multiple animals throughout the year with the aim of selling them ahead of Eid, when demand peaks.
Durign a recent visit to the remote areas of North Channel, Decreer Char and Char Madhabdia unions, as well as parts of Charbhadrasan and Sadarpur upazilas, reveals a familiar scene—men, women and even children tending to cattle, goats and sheep.
Families are seen herding their animals in the morning for grazing and bringing them back before sunset, continuing this cycle year-round.
Firoz Molla, a resident of Char Dholai in North Channel Union, owns 26 sheep.
He is optimistic about fetching a good price for them this Eid, which he says would help secure his family’s livelihood for the next year.
Similar expectations are echoed across the 13 unions located within Faridpur’s char region.
Khulna farmers brace for Eid-ul-Azha with surplus of sacrificial animals
