Business Report :
Speakers at a seminar on Sunday stressed the importance of developing a comprehensive roadmap to transform the leather sector into the next major driver of export growth.
They also highlighted the critical need for international certification and compliance to fully harness the sector’s export potential.
The seminar, titled “Sustainable Export Growth in Post-LDC Era: Strategies for the Leather Sector,” focused on key challenges facing the sector — particularly the lack of international certifications, such as Leather Working Group (LWG) accreditation — and the pressing need for environmental compliance and policy reforms.
Speaking as chief guest, Industries Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan stressed the importance of global certifications for market competitiveness, noting that buyers offer lower prices to exporters lacking environmental credentials. “Currently, only three tanneries in Bangladesh are LWG-certified,” he said. “The Ministry of Industries is working to develop a supportive policy environment for long-term sector transformation.”
He urged tannery owners to install their own Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs), as the existing Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) at Savar remains under-capacity. He also called on industry stakeholders to protect the environment and river systems, warning that sustainability is critical to long-term success.
FBCCI Administrator Md. Hafizur Rahman echoed these concerns, citing low foreign investment in the sector due to poor compliance. He emphasized the need for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards to attract FDI and ensure better pricing.
BSCIC Chairman Md. Saiful Islam highlighted capacity issues at the Savar CETP and shared that initiatives are underway to expand its capacity from 14,000 to up to 25,000 cubic meters. He also reported that several tanneries have been granted permission to establish their own ETPs.
DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed said the leather sector — already the second-largest export earner after RMG — holds vast potential for value addition and sustainable industrial growth. He recommended green transformation of tanneries, skills development, stronger backward linkages, and enhanced public-private collaboration.
Delivering the keynote address, Apex Footwear Ltd. Managing Director Syed Nasim Manzur emphasized that, with targeted policy support, Bangladesh’s leather exports could grow from the current $1.2–$1.6 billion to $5 billion by 2030 and $10 billion by 2035. He urged support for small leather entrepreneurs through access to low-cost financing, including the Climate Finance Fund.
The seminar brought together key stakeholders from government, industry, and academia, including representatives from the Ministry of Commerce, BIDA, University of Dhaka, BCSIR, and leading leather firms.
