The Ministry of Commerce on Sunday (June 25, 2023) fixed the prices of salted cowhides at Tk 50 to Tk 55 per square feet in Dhaka and at Tk 45 to Tk 48 outside Dhaka. Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi disclosed this after a meeting with tannery owners, the Tariff Commission, and related stakeholders at the Ministry of Commerce. The minister said that the price of salted cowhide has been increased by Tk 3 in Dhaka and by Tk 5 outside Dhaka compared to last year. And the prices of Khasi (male goat) and goat skin were kept the same as it was in the previous year. Read: Salted rawhides collection starts Thursday Tipu Munshi said the rawhide prices of sacrificial Khasi (male goat) has been fixed at Tk 18 to Tk 20 and goat Tk 12 to Tk 14. Last year, the price of salted cowhide was Tk 47 to Tk 52 per square feet in Dhaka and Tk 40 to Tk 44 outside Dhaka. And the price of salted skin of khasi was Tk 18 to Tk 20 and goat skin was Tk 12 to Tk14. Tanners will get around Tk 259 crore loans from banks to procure and preserve rawhides during the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha. Read: Steps taken to prevent rawhide smuggling in border areas: Industries Secy According to commerce ministry sources, tannery owners have written to the ministry seeking a Tk 500 crore loan . A total of 12 public and private banks will disburse the loans among applicants with state-owned ones lending the maximum amount. Read more: Govt hikes rawhide prices ahead of Eid

The government has taken steps to prevent rawhide smuggling in areas along the country's border, Industries Secretary Zakia Sultana has said. “Already the government has fixed the prices of rawhides in Dhaka and outside the capital, and it has strengthened vigilance in areas along the border to prevent rawhide smuggling,” she told reporters after visiting the tannery industrial area at Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) on Wednesday. Also read: Savar Tannery Estate: Guideline to be prepared over plot allocation This year, as many as 97 to 98 lakh animals will be sacrificed across the country during Eid-ul-Azha, the Secretary said. Already 1.21 crore rawhides have been prepared and the same will be processed at Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) in Savar, said Zakia. "The ministry has taken steps to keep the Dhaleshwari river and its adjacent areas along the tannery industry area free from pollution," she added.  

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) was on Thursday put on high alert to prevent rawhide smuggling, a day after Eid-ul-Azha, a holy festival during which Muslims sacrifice animals. BGB Commander (49th Battalion) Lt Colonel Selim Reza told UNB that the force has intensified patrolling along the Benapole border. Read: Govt fixes rawhide prices ahead of Eid-ul-Azha Sources said the BGB has stepped up vigil not only in Benapole, but also in Gatipara, Bara Achra, Sadipur, Raghunathpur, Ghiba, Dhanyakhola, Putkhali and Goga, Kayba, Agrabhulot, Rudrapur, Kashipur, Shikarpur, Shalkona and Shahjatpur areas. The seasonal smugglers have stockpiled rawhide after purchasing the same at a high price. According to traders, the quality of Bangladeshi rawhide is better than that of India and that’s why there is a demand for the Bangladeshi product in the neighbouring country. In different areas of Sharsha upazila, five mounds of cow hides are being sold at Tk 300-400 and 10 mounds of cow hides at Tk 600. On the other hand, in West Bengal state of India, sacrificial cow hides weighing five mounds are being sold for Rs 400-600 and those weighing 10 mounds are being sold for Rs 800-1,000. Read:Export rawhides to ensure fair prices: GM Quader Lt Colonel Selim said the law enforcement agencies are working to prevent smuggling of goods, including rawhide. This year, the government has fixed raw cow hide prices at Tk 40-45 per sq ft in the capital and Tk 33-37 outside Dhaka.

The government has fixed the prices of raw cowhide ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha at Tk 40-45 per square foot in the capital and Tk 33-37 outside of it. Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi announced the prices after a virtual meeting held at the Ministry on Thursday. Read:Zilhajj moon sighted; Eid-ul-Azha on July 21 Besides, the minister said, the prices of goatskins have been fixed at Tk 15-17 per square foot across the country while that of she-goat at Tk 12-14 against the previous year’s prices of Tk 13-15 and Tk 10-12 respectively. “Last year, we saw a very good export trade, and we’ve to move on ensuring the fare prices of rawhide. We’ve given the approval to export rawhide which is not good for us. This year, we’ve fixed the rawhide prices after holding a meeting with all stakeholders,” he said. Read:Digital Haat and more Qurbani Cow online shops targeting Eid-ul-Azha in Bangladesh Munshi urged all concerned to apply salt on animal hides soon after their sacrifices.

As in every year, the workers of Lalbagh rawhide market in the capital are in the midst of their busiest period following Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest religious festival of Muslims that results in a large number of sacrificial animal hides.   

Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) authorities have removed 15000 pieces of unsold rawhide of sacrificial animals from streets, said councillor Shoibal Das Sumon, president of Waste Management Committee of CCC.

The government has fixed the price of raw cowhide ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha at Tk 35-40 per square foot in the capital and Tk 28-32 outside Dhaka.

The monitoring teams formed by the Ministry of Commerce will work from the Eid day to ensure the collection of rawhides of sacrificial animals across the country.

The country is likely to witness a fall in rawhide collection this year amid the apprehension of relatively lower participation of people in animal sacrifice during the Eid-ul-Azha due to COVID-19 pandemic casting a broader impact on the leather industry, said an industry leader.

In an effort to boost the tannery industries ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha, the government will take necessary steps to ensure financial assistance to the traders, Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun said Monday.