Extensive initiatives taken to preserve sacrificial animal skins: Commerce Minister

Extensive initiatives taken to preserve sacrificial animal skins: Commerce Minister

Md. Kamal Uddin    |    ০৭:৩৬ পিএম, ২০২৬-০৫-১৩

News Desk: The Commerce Minister told reporters after a meeting to ensure proper management of sacrificial animal-related matters at the Commerce Ministry

The government has made extensive preparations for the preservation and proper use of sacrificial animal skins ahead of the holy Eid-ul-Azha. Various initiatives have been taken across the country, including free supply of salt, to ensure that not a single skin is wasted this time and that they can be properly used in the country's promising leather industry, Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir said.

He told reporters after a meeting to ensure proper management of sacrificial animal-related matters at the Commerce Ministry at the Secretariat on Wednesday (May 13).

The Commerce Minister said that every year during the Eid-ul-Azha, the issue of skins becomes a cause for concern. However, the leather sector is a potential export sector in Bangladesh. The skins collected during the sacrifice are one of the main raw materials for the country's tannery and leather industry.

He said that so that the skin of sacrificial animals does not deteriorate due to lack of preservation, salt will be delivered across the country with government funding. The district and upazila administrations will ensure free supply of this salt to madrasas and related institutions.

The minister said that training programs have been ongoing under the Ministry of Agriculture for a long time on how to properly slaughter and skin sacrificial animals. Thousands of butchers and meat traders have already been trained in this regard.

The Commerce Minister further said that the district and upazila administrations will arrange awareness training for local madrasas on skin preservation. In addition, a wide campaign will be carried out through television, newspapers, electronic media and leaflets. Initiatives have also been taken to raise awareness in mosques across the country with the help of the Islamic Foundation. Worshippers will be motivated to preserve skins through imams before Friday prayers and Eid.

The minister said that thousands of Qawmi madrasas in the country depend on donations from the society. The money that comes from the skin of sacrificial animals is an important source of income for these institutions. Therefore, it is important to ensure proper use of skins.

He said that the local administration will supervise the leather conservation activities during Eid and the following days. In addition, several teams of the Ministry of Commerce will be active across the country. There are plans to involve members of parliament in this work.

He also said that the main goal of the government is to ensure the use of leather in the country's local industries, so that leather products can be exported abroad through value addition. However, if necessary, considering the situation, the issue of allowing the export of 'wet blue' leather for a limited time may be considered. We will see about that after Eid if necessary.

Representatives of tannery owners, raw leather traders and leather product manufacturers were also present at the press conference. The Commerce Minister expressed hope that with everyone's combined efforts, it will be possible to ensure the preservation and proper management of leather during this Eid.