Up 52pc since 2021: Cowhide rates reach five-year high

Government-fixed prices of cowhide have reached a five-year high ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, with the rate rising by around 52 percent in Dhaka and 70 percent outside the capital compared with 2021, according to a data analysis of official price announcements.

For Eid-ul-Azha 2026, the government has fixed the price of salted cowhide at Tk 62–67 per square foot in Dhaka and Tk 57–62 outside Dhaka. Last year, the rate was Tk 60–65 in Dhaka and Tk 55–60 outside the capital, meaning this year’s increase is only Tk 2 per square foot in both categories.

However, the long-term picture shows a much sharper rise. In 2021, cowhide prices were fixed at Tk 40–45 per square foot in Dhaka and Tk 33–37 outside Dhaka. Based on midpoint calculation, the Dhaka rate has increased from Tk 42.5 to Tk 64.5, while the outside-Dhaka rate has climbed from Tk 35 to Tk 59.5 over the last five years.

In 2022, the government set the cowhide price at Tk 47–52 in Dhaka and Tk 40–44 outside Dhaka. In 2023, the rate rose to Tk 50–55 in Dhaka and Tk 45–48 outside Dhaka. In 2024, the rate was increased again to Tk 55–60 in Dhaka and Tk 50–55 outside Dhaka, before reaching Tk 60–65 and Tk 55–60 respectively in 2025.

The data shows that the cowhide price has surged over the five-year period, particularly outside Dhaka. But compared with last year alone, the increase is moderate, not a sudden jump.

So, while the phrase “prices surged” is accurate in a five-year comparison, a more precise news framing would be: “Qurbani cowhide prices hit five-year high after steady rise.”

Commerce Minister Khondaker Abdul Muktadir said the announced prices would apply to properly salted hides. The government has also taken steps to supply salt and strengthen awareness campaigns so that hides from sacrificial animals are properly preserved and not wasted.

He further said that, in coordination with the Islamic Foundation, imams across the country will raise awareness among worshippers after Friday prayers and before Eid, urging them to properly preserve and use the hides.

The minister also said that local administrations will monitor whether the hides are properly preserved and salted on Eid day and afterward. Several teams from the ministry will remain active across the country.

He added that members of parliament will also be requested to actively participate in the initiative. “Our goal is to preserve Qurbani animal hides through a coordinated nationwide effort and protect this important national resource,” the minister said.