Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman has issued the following statement on 14th August, 2019 expressing deep concern over the ongoing crisis of the tannery industry and severe low price of sacrificial animal's rawhides.

We all, including the farmers, cattle traders and tannery traders are worried as the tannery industry is suffering from severe crisis and simultaneously the rawhide's prices are being decreased alarmingly.

The experts think that, the government should assist the tannery traders and industrialists to bring the golden days of this sector back. Already, the tannery traders are suffering due to relocation of the industry from capital's Hazaribagh to Savar. Their products have lost credibility in the global market. The incumbent grand-alliance government failed to create a better conditions for the rawhide and the industry, as a whole. The reluctance of the government in this regard and absence of proper rules and regulations are the reasons behind the collapse of this industry.

The price of rawhide is decreasing every year due to prevailing crisis of this sector. In last 7 years, price of cow rawhide has came down to half whereas the goat's rawhide price came down to one-third level than the previous years. The traders had also decided to procure 2.5 millions less than the previous year. As 6 million pieces of rawhides of the past year are still remaining unsold.

The exports of leather goods also have decreased drastically in the European and US market. In 2018-19 fiscal year, the export amount worth of 500 crore BDT has lessened. Export is going down on regular basis. In past two years, 26.26 percent export has been reduced in this sector.

Total allocation of plots in Savar for tannery sector are 205. Off these, 155 are industrial plots and 123 plots are functioning actively. Out of these plots, only 78 plots have received environmental nod.

As a result, most of the rawhides are being smuggled in neighbouring country. The opportunists of that country are buying our rawhides and sell the products in the global market at higher prices. Whereas the rawhide industry of Bangladesh is struggling to survive.

Due to this situation, Bangladesh is losing revenue whilst the traders, farmers and tannery businessmen are being affected severely. Most of the madrasa (religious school) and Orphanages of Bangladesh are being run by the money of rawhide business. But as the entire rawhide industry is struggling, the institutions and its students are passing days in miseries and uncertainties.

I am urging the government to consider the entire situation properly and to take effective decisions to bring back the golden days of the tannery industry again.