Traders have been struggling to get fair prices for rawhide, which they bought during Eid-ul-Azha, as a syndicate is ruling over the skin market in Magura. Most skin traders have yet to sell the rawhide as wholesalers are offering prices below the buying cost. Moreover, the price of the hide is increasing day by day due to the preservation cost. According to the District Skin Hide Traders Association, about 400 people are involved in skin trading, while 10 years ago, the number was at 1,000. Skin traders are facing tremendous struggles due to government policy. Due to huge losses every year, people are losing interest in the skin traders. Abu Taleb, a skin trader of Nanduali area of Magura town, said every year small traders are deprived of fair prices as tannery owners dominate over the fixing of the skin price. This year, the authorities fixed up the price of cow per square feet of hide at Tk45 to Tk50 against Tk70 to Tk75 from last year, buffalo skin at Tk30 to Tk35 against Tk35 to Tk40 last year, and goat skin at Tk20 to Tk25 against Tk30 to Tk35 last year. Despite the government’s fixed rate, small traders have had to buy hides at higher prices. But tannery owners are offering the government fixed rate. The government should consider the interest of small traders and re-fix the skin prices. Muntaj Shekh, a skin trader of Notun Bazar area in Magura, told the Dhaka Tribune that before every Eid-ul-Azha, the government sanctioned loans for skin traders. Though tannery owners receive the loans, small traders are deprived of the loans. Abul Hossen, a trader in Islampur area, said every year, skins worth about Tk2 crore are damaged in the district for want of proper processing, causing losses for traders. If the government sets up a skin processing industry, the small traders would get fair prices. Badrul Hasan, a skin trader of Char Dreepur in Magura, said every year during Eid ul-Azha, agents of Indian hide traders dominate the skin market, depriving genuine local traders as they offer higher prices compared to the local traders. Consequently, a good amount of skin is smuggled into India every year and local traders fail to collect the targeted skins. “Though skin smuggling has been going on for years, the role of the law enforcing agencies is questionable,” he said. Sonali Bank Magura branch manager Shafiqul Islam said: “We have not gotten any instructions from our senior authorities to sanction loans for skin traders during Eid-ul-Azha. If we get such instructions, we are ready to help the local skin traders.” Additional Police Super Tariqul Islam said: “We are active at checking out the smuggling of skins. There is no possibility of skins being smuggled from Magura.”
