Government authorities braced with a to-do list to ensure a fair deal in rawhide, valuable for Bangladesh's export-potential-bearing leather industry, as around 13 million animals are ready for sacrificial fiesta.
A set of steps planned include preventing any attempt to manipulate prices, ensuring proper collection, and preservation and management of rawhide and skin of sacrificial animals during the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha.
The measures were decided at a recent meeting of the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) with the stakeholders concerned, with immediate-past Senior Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh in the chair, sources said.
And the ministry has already asked the state agencies concerned to ensure proper implementation of the measures, by way of forming monitoring teams and setting up a control cell to oversee the buy-sale activities, and preservation and transportation of rawhide.
"Besides, the Ministry of Home Affairs has taken initiatives for transport of such hides across the country and to increase vigilance along the border points to prevent any attempt to smuggle out rawhide," said one source.
The ministry, the police, BGB and an intelligence agency have been requested to be cautious so that no impediments are created during transportation of such hides.
They have been asked to take necessary steps not to transport sacrificial rawhides seven days after the Eid and to increase monitoring different important points, including border areas.
To deal with the countrywide seasonal leather-trade binge the state agencies are also armed with directions to take preparation to make available at cheaper prices requisite quantities of salt used for preserving rawhide, and to ensure waste management and remove transportation hassles.
The country produced 2.3 million tonnes of salt this year which is rated as the highest output in 62 years.
The MoC has also requested Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to the Savar tannery estate for three months from the day of Eid-Ul- Azha, a time when the country's tanners collect most part of the rawhide they require annually.
The fisheries and livestock ministry has already trained a brigade of 3,000 slaughters countrywide. It would train more slaughters in the country.
Representatives from different state agencies, including the ministries of home, fisheries and livestock, industries and religious affairs, and the cabinet division, traders and their associations, and other stakeholders attended the meeting in preparation for the religious carnival.
A senior official, who attended the meeting, said the MoC "has already requested different agencies to take necessary actions in accordance with the meeting decisions".
Besides, the commerce ministry would hold a virtual meeting with the divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners in this regard.
"The government will continue with its support for development of the country's potential leather sector," says the official.
The MoC has also asked the agencies concerned to monitor the prices of salt so that it is not sold at higher-than-fixed prices.
More than 50 per cent of rawhides and skins are collected during the Eid. The supply of rawhides and skins in the country is over 20 million units, according to Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTC) data.
Around the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha, 12.98 million animals are ready for sacrifice across the country, marking a 3.0-percent hike in supply compared to last year's.
Some 3,000 makeshift cattle markets will be operated across the country around the sacrificial festival.
Fisheries and livestock minister Abdur Rahman revealed the information during an inter-ministerial meeting at the conference room of the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) on May 16.
The Minister stated that this year, the maximum possible demand for sacrificial cattle is 10.7 million. There are 2.27 million additional cattle available compared to the demand.
These include 5.27 million cows, 0.161 million buffaloes, 6.8 5 million goats, 0.77 million sheep, and animals of other species.
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