When I hear about going to the market for household expenses, the tendency to dodge works in me. Every year when Eid-ul-Azha is celebrated, I want to go to the cattle market. There is no option to buy sacrificial cows and goats by choice. I went to the animal market with a double mask on my face during Covid. This time there is no fear of Covid but the situation is like 'heat alert' in our area.
On top of that, there has been no rain for almost two consecutive weeks in June. Very hot! After getting sunburned, I went to the market to buy sacrificial animals as usual. I have attached faithful Lalmia, Ali and Bhutto (pseudonyms).
When he reached the market, he said that Mazdar Ali, a well-known local, would also accompany him. Although it is possible to take a car to the cow market, it is very difficult to find parking space near the market. That's why we all sat together in the autovan with legs hanging around. The story is also interesting. Bhutto suddenly said loudly - 'Now understand the fun! Ali said, what the hell! Who are you referring to?
Bhutto began, quoting a morning TV news source. That is, big cows are not valued at all in Dhaka cattle markets. A small entrepreneur came from Phultala in Khulna to Gabtali market with his four year old big bull called 'Nantu'.
He hoped that this time the cow weighing 34 maunds would be sold and would make a lot of profit. The cost of rearing the cow will be paid off with the profit. But his regret is that for the last three days, many people have seen his huge Nantu at Gabtali Market and said - Yes! What a big cow! But no one bid to buy. Even if the price of Tk. 20 lakh, no one said the price of Tk. 20!
Only one day left for Eid. He can't even afford to take Nantu home and eat it if he can't sell it already. That's why the owner of the cow is very broken. His eyes are just watering.
Now Ali said, it's a matter of trouble! What's funny about it!
Bhutto replied, the fun of black money! Now the owners of black money are afraid and no one is coming forward to buy big cows. That's why there are no buyers to buy big cows in the Eid market this year. Those who have hired trucks from remote areas of the country to sell cows in Dhaka hoping to make a profit of two paisa, are crying in frustration as they are not sold.
Many people have black money. The government announcement to make black money white has only been announced for buying flats, houses or land but if it was announced for buying a sacrificial cow, today this small entrepreneur would not have to sit in the market and cry!
Doesn't it make for a lot of fun! Therefore, there is a bias in the declaration of black money whiteness. Should have thought about the poor, right! Otherwise, it should have been announced that a white cow can be bought from the market with black money and sacrificed!
But after hearing his argument, Lalmia got a little angry and started countering. He said, why can't sacrifice be done even if you buy black or brown cows with black money?
Bhutto immediately sided with Lalmia. When the van driver tried to turn back to join the discussion, I loudly instructed him not to look back and drive the van properly.
Ali said, Bhutto, you are an ox! Like that one, who was caught making black money before turning it white and fled abroad. Aha! If he had the opportunity to buy so many houses, flats, land after the announcement of this budget, then he would not have to flee the country!
It was good to hear their discussion. Meanwhile, I did not realize when I came near the market. Our autovan came to a screeching halt as thousands of cows, vans of goats, trucks, people roared back. We all got down and headed towards the market.
Bhutto's famous words were etched in his mind as he entered the market - 'It is not permissible to sacrifice a white cow with black money'!
If you can buy a house with black money and live in it, if you can eat expensive food in a hotel, then how about going to Hajj with that money! Why sacrifice is unfair! My head started spinning. I passed the row of colorful cows and goats and reached the middle of the market.
Unknowingly, when I saw a white animal, I started looking at it with a 'fall fall' look. And it started to seem, 'Black and white outside, everyone is the same color inside.'
But why this discrimination! Why so many frauds and contradictions! So much difference! Why so much theft, robbery, corruption, fraud! So many false lawsuits, attacks and murder!
I did not buy white animals! I thought, our money is not black and white anymore. It is halal earnings, hard-earned money! With this money, there is no prohibition to buy any color, style, animal, product in the world. There is no obstacle to buy or eat any food, there is no fault! There is nothing wrong with buying and eating with black money as described in economics. But the fault lies elsewhere - that is within the mind, within the relationship with the soul.
That depends on the guidance of the great creator. It is indicated that the message of the creator, the great great man, the Prophet (PBUH), related to the revealed path, removed the darkness of the world and spread light upon light and interwoven each other.
It is said in Surah Noor (24:29), 'Nurun a'la Noor' or Surah Ma'ida (27:31) about the great self-sacrifice through the sacrifice of one's infant son, the creation of taqwa.
By the knowledge and light that emerges and slaughters the animality of the mind, we come to buy a white animal or two at the sacrificial market; The biggest religious festival of believing Muslims cannot be judged only by the color of their outer covering.
The announcement of whitening of black money in this year's national budget has attracted many controversies - 'whitening of black money is unconstitutional', 'discriminatory', 'corruption-friendly' and the Prime Minister's announcement of 'zero tolerance against corruption'.
A class of people in the country have built a mountain of wealth illegally. Honesty is hindered by their persuasion. Lives, drug trade, unethical transaction systems.
Black money is born in the dark alleys. Usury, bribery, corruption, forgery, lies, fraud, tax evasion, theft, fraud, smuggling, illegal drug trade, bank robbery, money laundering, land grabbing, river grabbing, manufacturing and selling of adulterated goods, above all maja business, evasion of zakat- Ityaka's various bad practices are a hotbed of black money.
These scumbags can be caught paying the country's taxes, so they don't pay the right amount of tax on the one hand, and refrain from paying zakat. Because of that, the financial status of the state does not increase with them, and the welfare of the poor people is not achieved.
News of black money laundering fuels corruption manifold. No matter how much the contribution of white money in the budget is, it is illegal, no-pak!
No matter how vociferously one may argue in the language of economics in favor of making black money white, if a drop of urine accidentally spills in a bucket of milk while milking a cow, would a holy man knowingly want to drink it! For example, white holy money is also required for sacrifice.
Announcing black money white every year is against the religious and moral values of the people of our country. It gives more encouragement to the white collar criminals in the country and strengthens the gangsterism.
Use and earning of black money is indicative of dishonesty and lack of ethics. There is no legitimate way to ensure accountability in the use of black money in any life. So, innocent people of Saadaman should stay away from black money and increase public awareness about the harmful aspects of this money. Because, from a religious point of view, donation and zakat are not effective, just like buying a white animal and sacrificing it is not supposed to be pure!
Author- Professor of Social Work Department of Rajshahi University and former Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences.