B Mirror Report:  Seasonal traders across Bangladesh have expressed deep frustration over the collapse in prices of sacrificial animal hides during Eid-ul-Azha, with many claiming they are unable to recover even basic collection costs amid an acute shortage of buyers.

Traders alleged that a market syndicate is manipulating prices, forcing them to sell cow hides at “water prices.” In many districts, unsold rawhides were seen piled beside roads, ponds, and rivers, while some were reportedly buried underground to avoid foul odours and further losses.

At Dhaka’s Posta leather market, sellers told local media that high-quality large cow hides were being offered at a maximum of Tk500 each. Hides with even minor cuts or holes were reportedly priced as low as Tk100 to Tk200.

Seasonal traders said the prices are far below expectations and accused middlemen of fixing rates arbitrarily.

In Satkhira, ordinary residents, madrasa authorities, and seasonal traders faced severe difficulties as sacrificial hides remained unsold. Reports emerged from different parts of the district that hides were being buried due to mounting losses and the inability to find buyers.

Satkhira District Livestock Officer Dr FM Mannan Kabir described the situation as “deeply unfortunate,” calling hides a national asset. He stressed the need for adequate local salt supplies for preservation and stronger coordination between tannery owners and warehouse operators.

Similar scenes were reported in Brahmanbaria’s Nabiganj, where traders who purchased hides door-to-door waited for hours beside piles of rawhides at roadside intersections, hoping for buyers who never arrived.

In Sirajganj’s Tarash upazila, traders said the market experienced a major collapse this year. In some villages, no buyers appeared at all, forcing many collectors to transport hides to the upazila headquarters, only to abandon them after failing to secure acceptable prices.

In Chattogram, hundreds of hides collected by seasonal traders remained unsold late into the night. Some traders dumped hides on roadsides, while others sold them at extremely low prices or forced them into warehouses at minimal rates.

The recurring crisis in Bangladesh’s leather sector during Eid-ul-Azha has once again raised concerns over poor market management, weak preservation systems, and the absence of effective government oversight in protecting the country’s leather industry.