Bangladesh to maximize sacrificial hides to boost leather sector

The Government of Bangladesh aims to transform the country’s leather sector into a robust, export-oriented industry by maximizing the utilization of sacrificial animal hides. Khandakar Abdul Muktadir, the Country’s Minister for Commerce, Industries, and Textiles and Jute stated this on Friday after inspecting rawhide trading at Posta in the capital’s Lalbagh area. He announced that a comprehensive, long-term roadmap for the development, preservation, processing, and export enhancement of the leather sector will be unveiled by July.

According to a ministry press release, Muktadir expressed optimism that most of this year's sacrificial hides would be collected in usable condition. He credited this to coordinated government initiatives, active participation from traders and warehouse operators, and local preservation efforts organized through mosques and madrasas. During his visits to Aminbazar on Thursday, and Posta and Hemayetpur in Savar on Friday, “I observed a large volume of hides already with traders, and salting activities are well underway," the minister said.

Muktadir noted that while sacrificial hides do not arrive in Dhaka all at once, the government expects to meet its targets through coordinated efforts across district administrations, city corporations, the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC), and local traders.

Highlighting the urgency of proper preservation, the minister warned that while current weather conditions are favorable, a temperature spike to 38°C or 40°C could ruin the hides within hours. According to the minister, hides must be cleaned and salted within 4 to 6 hours of sacrifice to be safely preserved for 3 to 4 months. "If salt is not applied on time, the hide loses all practical value," he stressed. To mitigate this, the government has distributed free salt to madrasas and collection centers through the BSCIC and regional administrations.

When asked about illegal trade, the minister stated that while smuggling allegations surface every year, the government is committed to ensuring not a single hide leaves the country illegally. Law enforcement and border authorities have been instructed to maintain strict vigilance.

Turning to infrastructure, Muktadir addressed the challenges plaguing the Savar Leather Industrial Estate and its Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP). Many tanneries are still not fully operational following their relocation from Hazaribagh, and the CETP faces structural limitations. While designed to process 25,000 cubic meters of waste daily, CETP currently treats only 14,000 to 18,000 cubic meters. To address this gap, the government plans to reform and expand the CETP to attract foreign investment and achieve full industrialization.

The minister also stressed the need to modernize the slaughtering and skinning processes to prevent quality degradation caused by unskilled manual labor.

"Removing hides from animals requires skill. Improper skinning damages the leather. We are planning to completely modernize and mechanize this process," he said.

Currently, Bangladesh’s leather goods market and exports are valued between Tk 12,000 crore and Tk 15,000 crore, supported by a rapidly growing domestic demand for leather products.