International standard CETP essential for leather sector: FBCCI president

Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) President Md Jashim Uddin has said that the international standard Central Waste Treatment Plant (CETP) is necessary for the development of the leather sector through proper preservation of indigenous leather.

Leather, one of the most potential sectors in Bangladesh, makes 100% value addition. However, raw leather has to be imported from abroad for making leather goods where the country's raw leather rots due to lack of proper management, said Jashim Uddin at a meeting of the Standing Committee on Hide and Skin, Leather and Leather Goods and Artificial Leather held at FBCCI on Sunday.

He called for international standards of the CETP located in Savar's Hemayetpur and its speedy implementation to exploit the potential of the leather sector.

The FBCCI president believes that compliance and certification are essential to developing the leather and leather products of Bangladesh in the global market. He further called for the inclusion of the young generation to modernise the leather sector.

FBCCI Senior Vice-President Mostofa Azad Chowdhury Babu opined that a cold storage and modern slaughterhouse can be established at the district level to protect native leather. Slaughterhouses can also be a source of business if animal slaughtering is conducted properly as per government guidelines.

FBCCI Vice President Md Amin Helaly suggested increasing cold storage use, which will help supply raw leather at any time of the year according to demand.

Director in charge of the standing committee Md Shaheen Ahmed said that the leather sector is promising. About 60% of the total demand for raw hides comes from different parts of the country but due to a lack of proper management, those are not stored properly. Modern slaughterhouse and the construction of adequate cold storage is very important to reduce imports by preserving raw leather.

The meeting was presided over by the chairman of the committee and managing director of Leatherex Footwear Ind Ltd Mohammed Nazmul Hassan Sohail. He called for the commercialisation of the local slaughterhouses and certification for the development of the leather sector.

FBCCI Directors Hafez Harun, Md Naser, Secretary General Mohammad Mahfuzul Hoque, Committee Co-chairmen Zainal Abedin Majumder, Aniruddha Kumar Roy and other members were also present at the meeting.