Rawhide collection in full swing at Savar tanneries; 6 lakh hides expected in 2 days
Workers have been busy salting blood-soaked rawhides as soon as trucks arrive
Tanners in Savar expect the arrival of six lakh rawhides of sacrificial animals in two days as collection began at the Bscic Tannery Industrial Estate in Savar today (7 June) on Eid-ul-Adha.
The first truck carrying around 300 pieces of rawhides entered the industrial zone at 12:26pm, and by 5pm, approximately 17,000 hides had reached different tanneries via 78 vehicles, said Md Mehrajul Maian, executive engineer of Bscic Tannery Industrial Estate.
Speaking to The Business Standard, he said in coordination with Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (Bscic), the district and local administration, law enforcement agencies, and relevant ministries, comprehensive measures have been taken to ensure smooth operations during Eid. Additional volunteers have also been deployed to facilitate the uninterrupted entry of rawhide-laden trucks.
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To aid in preservation, about 650 tonnes of salt have been distributed across various madrasas and orphanages in Dhaka, he added.
According to tannery officials, most of the hides delivered so far came from madrasas and orphanages in Dhaka.
Mohammad Sakhawat Ullah, vice chairman of the Bangladesh Tanners Association (BTA), told TBS that an estimated 5,50,000 to 6,00,000 rawhides could enter the tannery estate over the first two days of Eid.
Savar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Abubakar Sarker, present at the industrial estate, confirmed joint efforts are underway to ensure both proper preservation at source locations like madrasas and orphanages, and the safe, efficient transport of hides to the estate.
A visit to various tanneries revealed increasing activity since noon. Workers have been busy salting blood-soaked rawhides as soon as trucks arrive.
One worker said the workload is expected to intensify after dusk and may continue through the next day.
Mohammad Shahidullah, owner of Azmir Leather, said they had collected around 1,000 pieces of hides by 4pm and aim to reach 20,000 by the end of Eid day. However, he noted that due to unsold stock of about 70,000 square feet of leather from last year, they plan to collect fewer hides this year — around 50,000 pieces, compared to 70,000 last year.
To manage the workload during Eid, many tanneries have hired contract-based workers specifically for the task of salting rawhides.
Rakib, one such contract worker at Azmir Leather, said he takes up tannery work every Eid to earn extra income. Working in teams, he salts hides for a wage of Tk40 per piece, allowing him to earn between Tk3,000 and Tk4,000 in a single day.
"This feels like a kind of festival to me," said Rakib. "We earn money, and there's joy in working together with so many people."
