Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun on Sunday said there is no crisis in the tannery industry and it is moving forward by contributing to the country’s economy, reports BSS.“There is no problem in tannery industry. The industry is a potential sector of the country. It has already moved far ahead. A vested quarter is out to impede the development of the industry,” he said.
The minister told journalists after a tri-party meeting on solving the problems of the industry at the commerce ministry here.Prime Minister’s Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman, Senior Secretary of the Commerce Ministry M Mofizul Islam, Industries Secretary Md Abdul Halim and representatives from Finance Ministry, Bangladesh Bank, Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Tanners Association (BTA) and Bangladesh Hide and Skin Merchants Association (BHSMA), among others, attended on the occasion.
Humayun said the meeting concluded with a note of success as stakeholders of the tannery industry agreed to work together to further develop the industry.“Tannery owners have already begun procuring rawhides of sacrificial animals. FBCCI and leaders of the concerned associations will meet on August 22 for solving the rest of problems,” he added.
Responding to a question, the minister said, the government has not taken any decision yet regarding the export of rawhide, but decision will be taken in this regard, if necessary. Salman Fazlur Rahman said some rawhides have been damaged in some districts, including Chattogram and Sylhet, due to weather.
“During Eid-ul-Adha, around one crore rawhides are available across the country every year. Out of such number of rawhides, about 5,000 rawhides are normally being damaged every year. This year, around 10,000 rawhides have been damaged due to weather,” he added. BHSMA Chairman Hazi Mohammad Delwar Hossain said they will continue their business as usual and the government has assured them of cooperating to run their businesses smoothly.
