Global Eid al-Adha Marked by Reduced Sacrifices, Price Pressures, Food Insecurity

Eid-ul-Adha celebrations across South Asia and the Middle East this year have reflected diverse practices and challenges shaped by economic, environmental, and security concerns. In Ghaziabad, India, Muslim residents marked Eid by cutting a symbolic cake with a goat figure instead of traditional animal sacrifice, following a BJP MLA's appeal to promote eco-friendly festivities and respect security protocols near an air force station. In Dhaka, Bangladesh, the festival sparked a complex economic dynamic where surplus sacrificial meat was sold at affordable prices by collectors to support low-income buyers, highlighting the role of Qurbani meat in community sustenance amid widespread poverty. Meanwhile, in Kashmir, butchers endured physically demanding work to fulfill the religious duties of sacrifice, emphasizing the festival's significance beyond feasting. Contrasting with these observances, Palestinians in Gaza faced a subdued Eid marked by scarcity and hardship due to ongoing conflict and blockade, with many unable to perform pilgrimage or access sufficient food, underscoring the severe humanitarian crisis. These accounts collectively illustrate how Eid-ul-Adha embodies faith, sacrifice, and resilience across varying social and geopolitical contexts.