The rawhide market in Khulna has turned into a woe for traders, as seasonal sellers have taken over.
The traders say they are in a tight financial position as tannery owners from Dhaka and all over Bangladesh owe them millions of money.
On top of that, many have complained that the seasonal sellers are buying rawhide at a much higher rate than the price set by the government ahead of Eid-ul-Azha this year.
Sher-e-Bangla Road in Khulna’s Sheikhpara had more than 50 rawhide selling shops. Rawhide from the southern regions of the country, including Khulna was bought and sold from there.
However, with time and the financial crisis, many traders had to close their businesses.
Meanwhile, Khulna Administration forced the rawhide sellers to close their businesses in the area, as it was too populated. The last shop closed in December 2019.
At present, rawhide is traded from slaughterhouses throughout the year.
Abdus Salam Dhali, president of Khulna Leather Traders Association, said the traders were buying sacrificial animal skins at a price of Tk44, but they noticed several other sellers in cars were buying the hides at a much higher price on Eid (July 10).
“We just watched, as we can’t do anything about it,” he told Dhaka Tribune.
Babar Ali, treasurer of the association, a few traders are doing business temporarily from Sheikhpara. “Many left the business as tannery owners in Dhaka owe them a lot of money.”
Kartik Ghosh, general secretary of the association, said: “The business is no longer in the hands of authentic traders. Tannery owners now buy rawhide directly from seasonal sellers. Moreover, when the Eid season comes, various companies in Dhaka contact madrasas directly and sell rawhide there.”
Rawhide is being sold to Madrasas for Tk800, so sellers are not directly approaching traders, he added.
He later proposed a three-point demand that would keep the rawhide industry alive — a permanent place should be given to authentic rawhide sellers, the government must intervene to recover the Tk3 crore from tannery owners, and curb rawhide sellers' malpractices.
Md Zafar, a businessman in the district, said the Khulna Administration had promised to provide space for rawhide traders in Gollamari area, but they did not keep their word.
“Tannery owners owe more than Tk1.5 crore to Khulna rawhide traders. We will not be able to buy animal skins without the amount,” he said.
Another businessman Abdul Jalil said that all the rawhide sellers of Khulna were in debt, as tannery owners refuse to pay their money. “Every other day the tannery owners tell us that they would repay our money, but they don’t.”
Khulna Deputy Commissioner Md Moniruzzaman Talukder said Sheikhpara was a genuine place for the rawhide market. “As the place is crowded, leather business is not being done here at the moment. We are trying to find a place for the traders.”
He further mentioned that if the rawhide sellers formally notify the administration about the money they get from tannery owners, proper steps would be taken by officials to recover it.
As Khulna Administration is yet to provide a permanent space for the rawhide traders, many sell the animal skins in temporary or pop-up shops for three days during Eids.
