The taskforce formed to formulate action plan while also come up with recommendations to improve the Bangladesh leather industry, has proposed forming a leather industry regulatory authority under the Ministry of Industries with the aim to solve existing problems faced by the sector while also try and accelerate its future development.
Media reports maintained this adding the proposal in this direction came forth at the fourth meeting of the taskforce, chaired by Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun, Minister of Industries and the head of the taskforce, who maintained that the leather sector is an important sector in the country and Bangladesh needs to find new markets for this industry abroad besides also highlighting the importance for the leather entrepreneurs to make efforts to expand their business even as he ensured that the Government will extend all possible cooperation in this regard.
Further, the meeting of the taskforce discussed and deliberated on the current state of the Savar-based tannery complex — relocation of the tanneries from Hazaribagh to Savar started in 2017. But still, work on the Central Effluent Treatment Plants (CETP) has not been completed, resulting in inadequate waste management system at the complex — while also highlighting the recommendation by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Environment, Forests, and Climate Change to close the same even as the Minister of Industries, on his part, reportedly, stated, “…we do not want to close the tannery complex as we have adequate experience, raw material and manpower,” and went on to further add that for the interest of the tanneries, it is necessary to expedite the renewal of environmental clearances while also complete the construction of CETPs, and apply modern technology to manage solid waste properly.
