This year’s Eid-ul-Azha brought disappointment to Bangladesh leather Industry as Dhaka’s rawhide market failed to meet even the minimum expectations. Traders had aimed to collect over 100,000 pieces of rawhide in the capital. But the final count stood at just 75,000, according to the Bangladesh Hide and Skin Merchants Association.
Things look worse on the national level. Early estimates suggest rawhide collection is down by at least 20% compared to last year. Several factors have contributed to this drop, including the ongoing economic crisis, lack of seasonal cash flow, and political uncertainty.
Many influential individuals who usually invest heavily during Qurbani have either left the country or held back due to the unstable climate. This withdrawal hurt both the cattle trade and rawhide sales.
“Money didn’t flow this Eid. Sacrifices were fewer. We are now waiting for rawhides from outside Dhaka—but even that won’t rescue us”
Manjurul Hasan, President, Bangladesh Hide and Skin Merchants Association
A government-imposed 10-day ban on inter-district transport of rawhide during Eid only added more pressure. Supplies from outside the city will arrive late, but even then, traders don’t expect any significant boost.
This year, 1.3 million fewer animals were sacrificed compared to 2023. Data from the Department of Livestock shows a sharp decline only 9.1 million animals were slaughtered this year versus 10.4 million last year. Dhaka saw the biggest fall, with numbers dropping from 1.2 million to 600,000.
Tannery owners had expected to process around 9 million hides this year. But as of now, only 5 million have reached their facilities.
Even a rise in the government-announced price for salted hides up to Tk 65 per sq ft didn’t help. Actual prices on the ground were much lower. Rawhides from large cows fetched only Tk 700–900. Smaller hides went for as low as Tk 600, often below last year’s rates.
Many seasonal traders in Dhaka’s Posta area complained that they had to sell at a loss again.
Policy experts are now calling out the government’s weak response to this recurring issue. They believe announcing only the salted hide price allows syndicates to exploit the market, since most Eid donors deal in rawhides not salted ones.
Although the government allowed the export of salted hides this year, industry experts say the move came too late and with little impact.
Consumer rights groups have also voiced concern over the lack of cold storage and a proper buying system. Without these, many people end up selling their hides at unfair prices or are forced to throw them away.
Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin claimed that rawhides were sold at the fixed rate but admitted that seasonal traders may not have received fair prices. He blamed improper preservation and lack of experience.
But many disagree with that view. Critics say the real problem lies in a mismanaged market, lack of enforcement, and no backup support for sellers turning a sacred tradition into an economic burden.
