Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Tuesday urged the government to allow the  export of rawhides to ensure the fair prices of the skins of sacrificial animals during the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha and break the syndicate of profit-mongers.

 “If the export of animal skins is not allowed, the profiteers will form a syndicate during the Eid-ul-Azha and the sellers will not get their fair prices like the previous two-three years,” he said.

In a statement, GM Quader also said the future of the orphans and the destitute, who have rights to get the money that come from sale of the rawhides of sacrificial animals, will get uncertain if the fair prices of those cannot be ensured. “Many orphanages and lillah boarding houses will simply get closed if the fair prices are not ensured. The leather industry will also be at stake.”

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He said unscrupulous traders have been buying animal skins at throwaway prices for the last few years by forming a syndicate. “Many people have buried the skins of their sacrificial animals out of anger and frustration. Some even set fire to rawhides with kerosene.”

The Jatiya Party chief said the skins of sacrificial animals worth crores of taka remained unsold and rotten in previous years. “Due to lack of competition in the market, a syndicate has established  its unilateral control on rawhide selling and buying.”

“Rawhides should be allowed to be exported at the time of Eid-ul-Azha as it would help create competition in the leather market and ensure better prices for the sellers,” he observed.

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GM Quader said the orphans and the destitute will be benefitted financially if the sellers get good prices of the skins of the sacrificial animals.

“We no longer want to hear the news that retailers have buried rawhides, burnt them or dump them into water out of frustration and anger,” he said.