DHAKA, July 7, 2024 (BSS) - Rawhide traders and tannery owners want cold

storage facilities at marginal level including in Natore, Chattogram and
Dhaka to properly preserve, maintain and to prevent the rawhides of
sacrificial animals from rotting.

They said it is possible to eliminate the rawhide and leather storage crisis
within a short time by modernizing the unused storage facilities in different
areas. In this way, a large number of sacrificial animal raw hides will be
saved from spoiling every year and thus such assets of the country will be
protected.

These opinions came up in the meeting of the standing committee on hide and
skin, leather, leather goods and artificial leather of the FBCCI held at its
Motijheel office today.

Chairman of the committee and former director of FBCCI Shaheen Ahmed presided
over the meeting. Director of FBCCI and former president of Metropolitan
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) Saiful Islam served as the director-
in-charge of the committee, said a press release.

Speaking at the meeting as the chief guest, Senior Vice President of FBCCI Md
Amin Helali said that the government should strengthen the storage facilities
in every district to save the raw hide.

"If necessary, the private sector can be involved in this initiative.
Besides, cent percent compliance of the leather industry should be ensured,"
he added.

Helali said compliance has to be ensured not only for the export market but
also for the production of local market.

He also gave special importance on increasing the competitiveness of the
leather industry.

In order to ensure compliance, the leather industry has been shifted from
Hazaribagh to Savar. Although a long time has been passed, but the Central
Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) is yet to become fully operational.

Besides, weaknesses also exist in solid waste management which is a big
obstacle in getting international environmental clearance (Leather Working
Group Compliance Certificate).

Standing Committee Director-in-Charge Md Saiful Islam said that this is one
of the obstacles in the growth of export of leather and leather products.

Chairman of the committee Shaheen Ahmed emphasized on providing loans on soft
terms to the small and medium businessmen of the leather industry centering
the Holy Eid-ul-Azha.

He also drew attention of the government to remove the existing non-tariff
barriers in the export of leather to neighboring countries including China.