Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi on Sunday announced that the price of cow rawhide (salted) this year has been increased by 6 percent ahead of the upcoming holy Eid-ul-Azha, which is going to be held on June 29.

The minister, however, warned that if the rawhide traders manipulate the price, the government will allow export of salted rawhide.

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The minister said this while talking to reporters after a meeting held at the conference room of the Commerce Ministry to review the issues of pricing and proper management of cow-rawhide on the occasion of the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha.

 “The price of salt-applied cow-rawhide this year has been fixed at Tk 50-55 per square foot in Dhaka and Tk 45-48 outside Dhaka,” he said.

Besides, the price of salted mutton and goat hide remained unchanged, he added.

Read: Govt fixes rawhide prices ahead of Eid-ul-Azha

Responding to a question on whether any action will be taken against those rawhide traders who create instability in the market through reducing the price of hide, Tipu Munshi said, "If the rawhide traders deliberately manipulate the price, then we will allow the export of rawhide abroad. We hope that won’t happen.”

“Arrangements have been made to monitor jointly from the Ministry of Commerce, Local Government Division, Ministry of Home Affairs and the concerned ministries…Besides, a monitoring committee with deputy commissioners, divisional commissioners and police has been formed. The monitoring team will look after it so that necessary action can be taken,” he said.

All are requested to ensure that no rawhide will come to Dhaka from outside in the next seven days of Eid to secure proper management, he said, adding that salt- applied hides from across the country will be brought to Dhaka in phases.

Read: Salted rawhides collection starts Thursday

Commerce Ministry Senior Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh and senior officials of the local government division, Ministry of Industry, Fisheries and Livestock Ministry, Bangladesh Bank and other institutions under the Ministry of Commerce were present on the occasion.