Published: 09:22 AM, 01 June 2026
‘Govt determined to transform leather sector into developed industry’
Industries, Commerce, Textiles and Jute Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir on Thursday said there is no possibility of sacrificial hides being smuggled out of the country this year, expressing the government’s determination to transform the leather sector from a struggling industry into a developed one. “There is no issue of hide smuggling this year. We want to turn this leather sector from a sick industry into a developed industry,” he said while talking to journalists after inspecting the procurement and trading activities of raw hides at Aminbazar in Savar this afternoon.
The minister said the government expects that most of the sacrificial hides would be properly preserved and transported smoothly to tanneries this year. “We hope more hides will be preserved this year than in previous years and in future we are planning to establish a permanent infrastructure for this purpose,” he said.
Muktadir said the government is planning how to transform the leather industry from a one-billion-dollar sector into a 10–12 billion-dollar industry.
He said exporting raw or wet blue leather generates relatively low returns, whereas producing value-added products such as shoes, belts and other leather goods for export creates greater economic value.
“Our target is not only to earn more foreign currency but also to create employment opportunities. Therefore, we want to export finished leather products,” he said.
The minister said steps would be taken to resolve problems related to the Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) in Savar so that all sacrificial hides in the country can be properly preserved and no leather goes to waste.
He said officials are working round-the-clock in places where hides are being collected, leaving no room for smuggling. The minister also said those who salt hides before selling them would receive better prices. During the visit, he exchanged views openly with traders, buyers and sellers regarding hide management and trade. Meanwhile, hides started entering tannery factories in the BSCIC Leather Industrial Estate in Savar from the afternoon of Eid day. Muktadir stressed the importance of timely salting, warning that hides left untreated for more than four to six hours, especially at temperatures of 38 to 40 degrees Celsius, risk rapid deterioration. Properly salted hides, he said, can be preserved for three to four months.
He outlined the leather production chain from raw hide to wet blue, crust leather and finally finished leather, used to manufacture shoes, sandals, belts and other goods, underscoring why preservation quality directly determines industrial value.
On concerns over hide smuggling, the minister said the relevant authorities had been directed to maintain strict surveillance. “We do not want a single hide to be smuggled out of the country.”
Regarding the Savar leather industrial estate and its Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP), Muktadir acknowledged operational shortfalls. The CETP has a project capacity of 25,000 cubic metres per day but is currently functioning at only 14,000 to 18,000 cubic metres. “Reforms would be undertaken to address the gap and attract further investment.”
The minister also called for modernising and mechanising the slaughtering and skinning process to improve hide quality, noting that improper skinning significantly degrades the raw material.
According to sources at the BSCIC leather industrial zone, a total of 79,218 hides had entered the tannery area through 341 trucks until 8:00 pm. Of those, 78,515 were cow and buffalo hides, while 703 were goat and sheep hides.
Executive Engineer of the BSCIC Leather Industrial Estate Engr Md Meherajul Maian said all necessary measures had been taken to ensure smooth entry, preservation and management of hides in the tannery industrial area.
