Barishal rawhide trade in ruins amid unpaid dues from tannery owners

A growing number of rawhide traders and workers in the Barishal division have been forced out of business or into low-paid labour as unpaid dues from tannery owners continue to undermine the region's once-bustling rawhide trade.

Al Amin, a trader in Patuakhali, who once owned a local rawhide depot, told TBS that he was owed Tk27 lakh by tannery owners.

Unable to recover the money, he shut down his business and moved to Barishal, where he now works as a labourer involved in salting hides. 

He said his dealings were with tannery operators in Noakhali and that non-payment of dues forced him out of business.

According to him, what was once a business involving large financial transactions has now left him destitute.

In another account from Barishal's Hatkhola area, trader Bachchu Haji said he is still owed more than Tk30 lakh by tannery owners.

He added that he had to sell two houses in Dhaka to sustain his rawhide business and has gradually become financially ruined.

Local traders and workers said such stories are common across the division, where many involved in the rawhide trade have shifted to other occupations after suffering heavy losses.

Ebaidul Haque Chan, a former president of the Barisal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told TBS that the rawhide industry in Barisal is regrettably in jeopardy. 

Traders are navigating various crises, he said, adding, "Everyone must work collaboratively to resolve these challenges. Otherwise, it will be impossible to sustain the business."

Traders move out of business

At Padmabati Road in Barishal, once considered one of the largest wholesale hubs for rawhide in the division, shop spaces have now largely been replaced by garment and textile outlets.

Two decades ago, the area handled rawhides worth crores of taka each season, traders said.

A shop worker, Kanchan Haldar, recalling the past, said his father worked in the rawhide trade in the same area. "What are now clothing and bedding shops were previously wholesale rawhide depots, which disappeared over time as traders moved out of the business," he said.

Near the River Kirtonkhola, workers continue limited seasonal handling of hides during Eid. One worker, Abul Hossain, said only small quantities of rawhides arrive during the festival period, after which storage facilities remain closed for the rest of the year. 

He added that much of the purchased rawhides this year might result in losses and future payments from tannery buyers remain uncertain.

A manager of a wholesale rawhide shop, Swapan, said there are no proper preservation facilities in the Barishal division and that a cold storage facility could have prevented significant spoilage. He added that most of the rawhides arriving during Eid have already begun to rot. 

He also claimed that the government does not directly purchase rawhides and that traders remain dependent on tannery owners, who operate in a coordinated market structure that leaves regional traders vulnerable.

Trader Mohammad Nasir said they have received only 20 to 25% of last year's payments, forcing many businesses to close or operate under severe financial strain.

He added that traders now often discard most hides, retaining only a small portion due to losses. 

He said the collected rawhides are later sent to Dhaka after 20 to 30 days. He also noted that the number of traders in Barishal has fallen from around 150 to 200 in the past to just 10 to 15 at present, with many exiting the business due to unpaid dues from tannery owners.