Sylhet traders losing interest due to leather market collapse

The price of sacrificial animal hides in Sylhet during Eid-ul-Azha did not even come close to the price set by the government. In many places, the hides were thrown into the river and even buried.

Some were forced to donate the skins for free, while others sold them at a nominal price.

In addition, local traders are extremely worried about whether any new complications will arise as the money owed to tannery owners by Sylhet leather traders for years has not been recovered.

Md. Shahjahan, a member of Sylhet’s main leather collecting organization, ‘Shahjalal Leather Traders Multipurpose Cooperative Society’, said that after the sacrifice on Thursday, about 40-50 thousand pieces of skins were collected from the Sylhet metropolitan area and another 30-40 thousand pieces from different upazilas.

Although the traders have collected the skins, they are extremely worried about their future and price.

He further said that the situation of leather collection in several upazilas including Zakiganj, Beanibazar, Kanaighat, Fenchuganj and Gowainghat is very disappointing.

Many people have either given their animal skins to someone for free or have been forced to sell them at a nominal price because they did not get a suitable price.

Meanwhile, a few days before Eid, the Qawmi Madrasas of Sylhet had announced not to collect skins, but in the end they backed down from that decision.

With the instructions of the Commerce Minister and the help of the Deputy Commissioner, they started collecting skins at the last minute. Local traders mainly collect the majority of skins from these Qawmi Madrasas.

Riazuddin, a resident of Pathantula in the city, said that since the leather market situation was not good, he donated his animal skins to the Qazibazar Madrasa.

Talking to the skin collectors, it was learned that most of the skins were collected at a nominal price at the field level.

Marginal seasonal traders are selling each piece of skin to wholesale traders for only 200 to 300 taka, including travel expenses.

On the morning of the day after Eid, when I went to the South Surma Tannery area on the Sylhet-Dhaka highway, I saw that the skins of sacrificial animals were scattered and left, and they were smelling bad.

At that time, I saw that the skins were being removed in a garbage truck of the Sylhet City Corporation.

In addition, local residents are complaining that the skins collected in Beanibazar, Zakiganj and Kanaighat in Sylhet were thrown into the Kushiyara River after not getting a fair price for the skins.

On the other hand, piles of skins collected from rural areas can be seen along various regional roads.

Shahin Ahmed, vice-president of Shahjalal Leather Traders Multi-Cooperative Society, said, The leather business no longer has its former glory.

Many are turning away from this business due to not getting the real price of the skins, and this business is shrinking day by day due to the shortage in export trade.

Although Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Sarwar Alam claimed that the collection of hides this year was satisfactory.

They did not see any incident of skins being thrown away or buried in the ground. He said that the administration is closely monitoring the collection of hides.

He also said that the madrasas have collected the hides and the traders are also buying them from them. Adequate salt has been arranged to preserve the hides.

He also said that the government is committed to saving the country’s leather industry at any cost.

However, despite such assurances from the administration, the situation at the field level and the uncertainty of the money owed to tannery owners have put a frown on the foreheads of Sylhet leather traders.