RANGPUR, Aug 07: Although the holy Eid-ul-Azha is drawing nearer the hide traders of the district are worried about continuing their business owing to shortage of capital.
Sources said the hide traders of the region have long been facing different problems including scarcity of capital and lack of bank loan facilities that forced many of them to relinquish their profession.
According to leaders of the district Hide Traders Association, earlier the number of hide traders was around 150 in the district but during the last few years most of the traders have forsaken their business.
The holy Eid-ul-Azha is imminent but hide traders of the district are yet to get more than Tk 80 million dues from the tannery owners and wholesalers of Dhaka. They also apprehended if they do not get arrears before Eid, they would not be able to run their business at the time of Eid.
Moreover, lack of bank loan facility is also hindering the business, leaving many hide traders apathetic to their trade, it is alleged.
Ekramul Haq, a hide trader in Shapla Chattar Chamra Patti area in the city told The Financial Express that the holy Eid is drawing nearer but he is much concerned about running his trade at the time of Eid as he is yet to recover Tk 7 lakh from tannery owners of Dhaka. It is uncertain whether he will be able to recover the dues before Eid or not, he said. He has been running the trade for many years. If he got bank loan, he could be more benefited, he added.
President of District Hide Traders Association Rangpur, Abdul Latif Khan said Eid-ul-Azha is getting closer. Traders need adequate capital to run their business at the time of Eid but presently they are facing capital shortage. He urged the tannery owners of Dhaka to repay the arrears before Eid so that they could run their business smoothly.
Otherwise, the syndicate of smugglers might take advantage of the circumstances and a bulk quantity of hides might be smuggled into the neighbouring countries, he apprehended.
Our Nilphamari Correspondent adds: The small rawhide traders in the district have urged the government to take necessary measures to end the dominance of non-bonafide traders.
They have also urged the government to introduce licence or identity cards for them.
The small raw hide traders have sought bank loans on easy-terms to carry on their trade smoothly.
They have also expressed their concern over the scarcity of non-iodised salt which is very essential for the preservation of raw hide.
In the past the scarcity of non-iodised salt had forced the small hide traders to sell their collected raw hide to big businesses at cheaper prices causing huge lose.
This year the price of this particular variety of salt has already increased abnormally in the district just on the eve of the Eid-ul-Azha.
The raw hide traders urged the government to set up several tanneries in this region. This will enormously benefit the small rawhide traders and at the same time it will create employment opportunity for local people, they said.
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