Leather industry faced 15 years of widespread chaos: Commerce Adviser

Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashiruddin said that over the past 15 years, the country’s leather industry has faced severe chaos, causing serious damage to the sector. The government is actively working to break the syndicates that have formed in this industry.

The Adviser made the remarks on Monday (June 9) after inspecting the preparations for handling sacrificial animal hides at the largest leather market in Rajarhat, Jashore, where he highlighted the government’s commitment to protecting the interests of orphanages and madrasas involved in the leather trade.

He said, “We are prioritizing the interests of orphanages and madrasas in the leather industry. At the same time, the government is implementing various programs for the overall development and future security of the sector.”

Bashiruddin also said that nationwide efforts are underway to restore the declining leather industry over the past 15 years. He said, “I personally visit different areas to see the situation on the ground. Our control team is also actively monitoring the process.”

He mentioned that 750,000 maunds of salt have been distributed across the country to preserve leather. According to him, this initiative has helped set proper prices for leather. However, many businesses collected leather without using salt, so they did not get fair prices. Especially seasonal traders damaged leather due to lack of experience.

The Adviser also said that the government released Tk 220 crore in incentives to tannery owners ahead of Eid to boost their capacity and is taking steps to expand market management.

“Many still blame the government for problems in the leather industry. However, the initiatives taken by the current government to protect this sector are unprecedented in the country’s history. With everyone’s cooperation, this industry can recover, ” he added.