Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin has said sacrificial animal rawhides are being sold at the prices fixed by the government.
A special team from the Ministry of Commerce is working to ensure the enforcement of the set prices, he said while speaking to reporters on Sunday after inspecting the activities related to proper management of sacrificial animal hides in Posta, Lalbagh.
Responding to queries from journalists, the adviser said “The prices we fixed were inclusive of salt. The ones being sold for Tk 700 to Tk 800 are without salt. Compared to the prices of many previous years, this year’s prices are higher.”
When asked about allegations that seasonal traders are not getting fair prices, Sk Bashir said, “That is true in some cases, but mostly untrue. It’s untrue because some seasonal traders with no experience in hide preservation are ending up with half-rotten hides. If half-rotten hides are selling for Tk 700 or 800, that is actually a high price. Good quality hides are selling for Tk 1,200 to Tk 1,300.”
The adviser added, “Under the direction of the Chief Adviser, we took steps to promote local storage and salting to make the hides suitable for preservation and storage. This has helped stabilise the market and balance supply and demand.”
He mentioned that district and upazila administrations are working on the ground to manage the hides.
“At the national level, we have established a control room. Rawhide management is being monitored 24 hours a day. In most cases, salted hides are fetching appropriate prices as fixed by the government,” he said.
About misinformation, the adviser said some social media platforms and even parts of the mainstream media are spreading incorrect information.
“I saw a report from Rangunia in Chattogram claiming hides had rotted. A seasonal trader brought in around 620 hides but did not preserve them properly. They became half-rotten. This is now being used to run a smear campaign. Unscrupulous traders are trying to destabilise the market again,” he said.
“The government has generously supplied salt only to make hides suitable for preservation. It is not acceptable to shift all responsibility onto the government if individuals fail to perform their own duties,” Sk Bashir added.
He said the government has initiated efforts to build capacity and everyone must come forward to support this work. “Apply salt and preserve the hides properly. If you demand fair prices, you must ensure quality. I hope you will get fair prices, even more than expected,” he said.
To stimulate demand, the government has lifted the export ban on raw and wet blue leather. It has also disbursed Tk 220 crore in incentives.
“Salt has been delivered to every district, upazila, and village mosque across the country. Now everyone needs to get involved. It is unacceptable and reprehensible to solely blame the government and circulate false or misleading information that harms the leather market,” he added.
Sk Bashir said rawhide prices have increased compared to the previous day and expressed hope that salted hides would fetch even higher prices tomorrow.
“We have built the capacity to preserve hides for two to three months. I urge you not to sell until fair prices are available,” said the adviser.
“We have done as much as possible to make the process viable for fair prices and to secure the rights of orphans. I believe the political government will do even more next year based on what we’ve learned this year,” he mentioned.
Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman, Additional Secretary (Export) Md Abdur Rahim Khan, and President of the Bangladesh Tanners Association (BTA) Md Shahin Ahmed were also present.