Will people get an appropriate price for rawhide this year’s Eid-ul-Azha?

For the last few years, the decreasing nature of rawhide and the increasing nature of leather products comprehended that the government has no control over the syndication. Considering the overall situation of local and international markets, the commerce ministry proposed to increase the cow rawhide price in Dhaka by Tk10 per sq ft. People do not care for rawhide because they do not get an appropriate price.
Last year rawhide remained unsold in some places and people dumped it in the garbage or burnt it on the ground. In some places, the price of rawhide was less than one hundred taka! As a result, seasonal traders, needy, poor and charitable organizations were badly affected. Primarily, orphan houses collect the rawhide from home to home and sell it to traders, as most cases devotees donate rawhide to orphans. People now leave goat skins hanging on trees. In this situation, it is necessary to first ensure that the people offering sacrifices will get back the cost of salt they apply to the leather.
We see unscrupulous businessmen bargain to decrease the earnings of the poor needy orphans, to fill their own coffers. Bangladeshi rawhide is much better than the Indian. But despite low quality, India declared rawhide price at Tk. 90 per square feet last year, while the rawhide of Bangladesh though the better quality was half the Indian price at Tk.45. Statistics show that the demand for processed leather exports all over the world, including Bangladesh, is half of the total rawhide Bangladesh collects throughout the year. Yet, the businessmen seek excuses to reduce rawhide prices.
But if the present trend continues, the prospect of the leather sector will be destroyed by the rash business moves. To retain the domestic leather industry and give back the rights of the poor, the government must take proper steps in this regard and ensure strict and exemplary punishment against the syndicates involved in thwarting the price fixed by government directives.