Bangladesh Leather Industry proposes 13-point revival plan

Bangladesh Leather Industry proposes 13-point plan and Special Footwear City to Revive Leather Sector

Bangladesh Leather Industry Urges Reform and Modern Collection Centers to Curb Waste

The Leather Industry Development Foundation of Bangladesh (LIDFB) has put forward a comprehensive 13-point recommendation package aimed at overcoming a critical sector crisis and boosting global competitiveness. At a discussion titled “Leather Industry in Crisis: Exploring Ways to Overcome Challenges,” held at the Economic Reporters Forum auditorium in Dhaka, the organization outlined severe structural and operational issues plaguing the sector. Prominent leaders including LIDFB Convener Sadat Hossain Selim and Member Secretary M Mofazzal Ibne Mahfuz, along with key stakeholders from the leather business sector, emphasized that reviving the industry requires immediate coordinated efforts between the government and the private sector to expand international market opportunities, foster innovation, and scale up skilled manpower development.

Central to the organization’s proposals is the establishment of a dedicated Leather Ministry or a significantly strengthened Leather Board to steer the leather industry into becoming one of Bangladesh’s primary export drivers. To handle the seasonal influx and minimize massive waste, LIDFB called for setting up modern regional leather collection centers across the country. These centers would feature advanced facilities and temporary cold storage units specifically designed to preserve the quality of sacrificial animal rawhides during the Holy Eid-ul-Azha. Maintaining raw hide quality from the initial slaughtering stage down to long-term preservation was highlighted as a priority, necessitating modern management practices alongside major improvements in livestock and veterinary services.

On the financial front, the organization urged the implementation of business-friendly, simplified banking policies, coupled with easy-term bank loans and tailored financing facilities for small and medium entrepreneurs. Special attention was requested for the rehabilitation of tannery owners who have been financially hit by ongoing industrial challenges, alongside a demand for targeted export incentives for the sector. To ease operational bottlenecks, LIDFB requested enhanced policy support for importing the necessary raw materials and machinery used in leather processing and manufacturing. It also proposed building a specialized industrial park or a dedicated Leather Footwear City to directly increase domestic production, boost exports, and generate new employment.

To counter falling demand and expand market access, the recommendations highlighted a dual strategy targeting both domestic and international fronts. Locally, the organization stressed the need to boost public and private awareness regarding the use of leather products, urging government offices, educational institutions, and other organizations to encourage locally produced leather goods. Internationally, LIDFB underscored the necessity of greater participation in overseas trade fairs, exhibitions, and marketing activities to attract fresh buyers. The group noted that achieving global competitiveness would require streamlined, easier certification facilities to ensure compliance with international standards, backed by robust policy support for exporters looking to capture new global markets.