Bangladesh's leather industry has been in decline for the past 15 years and cannot recover overnight as powerful syndicates are entrenched in the sector, Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin has said.

Speaking to journalists after visiting the largest rawhide market in the southwest at Benapole this afternoon, he said, "We are prioritising the interests of orphanages and madrasas. Our efforts are directed at protecting this industry's future."

The adviser noted that a special control team has been deployed to monitor the situation. "I'm personally visiting different parts of the country to break the syndicate that has gripped the industry. A control team is also actively monitoring the situation," he said.

Claiming that no previous government has taken such comprehensive steps for the leather industry, Bashir said, "To ensure fair pricing, the government distributed 7.5 lakh tonnes of salt. That stabilised the rawhide market to a large extent."

However, he pointed out that many madrasas had submitted unsalted rawhide.

"In such cases, the government cannot fix prices," he added.

He also blamed a lack of awareness among seasonal traders for significant damage and losses during Eid.

"To support tannery owners, the government released Tk 220 crore in incentives before Eid," Bashir said.

The adviser said market expansion efforts are underway to increase global demand for Bangladeshi leather goods.

"Despite all this, the government is still blamed. But no other administration has done this much for the sector. We urge all involved to work together toward long-term improvement," he added.