Leather industry still a promising sector: Muktadir

Industries Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir on Saturday said the leather industry remains a highly promising sector for Bangladesh despite facing years of neglect.

“After the ready-made garment sector, other export-oriented industries could not establish a strong position. The leather industry was a promising sector and it still holds enormous potential,” he said.

The industries minister made the remarks while speaking to journalists after visiting the Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) at the BSCIC Tannery Industrial Estate in Harindhara area of Savar on Saturday afternoon.

Earlier, he attended a views-exchange meeting with tannery owners at the estate office.

The industries minister said the relocation of tanneries from Hazaribagh to Savar was carried out in a flawed manner, resulting in continued neglect of the sector and preventing it from achieving its expected growth.

He alleged that the sector had been “damaged” over the past several years, adding that Bangladesh could have earned nearly $12 billion in export earnings if the entire volume of raw hides collected annually had been properly processed and exported.

Referring to the environmental management challenges, he said the government has taken initiatives to solve all existing problems related to the CETP.

“At present, around 14,000 to 18,000 CPM waste is treated regularly, while after Eid, the treatment requirement rises to nearly 45,000 CPM,” he said.

To address the issue, the minister said capable tanneries would gradually be encouraged to operate their own Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs), while the government would extend support where necessary.

He added that smaller tanneries would continue under the CETP system but would initially undertake sedimentation treatment independently before transferring the waste to the CETP for final processing.

“If we can accommodate the smaller tanneries in this way, we will be able to move much closer to our target,” he added.

The minister also said an Italian company, with support from the European Union, is currently conducting a study on how to improve the CETP’s operational efficiency, functional capacity and overall performance.

“We expect to receive the study report within two weeks. The main objective is to correct and modernise the CETP system,” he said.

He further said arrangements would be made for establishing new ETP facilities for capable tanneries.

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Highlighting future development plans, the minister said a world-class centre is being established in Savar to support the overall development of the sector. “The centre will contribute to skill development, 3D design in leather products and light engineering support services,”

“You will witness the revival and rise of this sector in the coming days,” he added.

Senior officials of the ministry, BSCIC Chairman Saiful Islam and tannery owners, among others, were present during the visit.