Mofiz Joarder, Chuadanga- The company collecting the skins of animal sacrifices claimed that the government is not selling the skins at the price fixed by the government due to the low demand of the seasonal traders across the country. They say that not so long ago, 10 years ago, clashes between communal madrasa teachers and party cadres over collection of sacrificial skins would have made headlines. No party cadre currently collects skins during the interval. At that time it was profitable to buy leather. Now it is not profitable to collect free leather.
Rashidul Islam, Secretary of Achir Uddin Madrasa and Lillah Boarding of Chuadanga Municipal Area, said that the price of the sacrificial skin will not increase until the entire skin of the sacrificial animal is burnt on the ground. We only collect sacrificial animal skins as cleaners. He regretted that at one time no one would want to collect skins. He said that leather is our national wealth and we are destroying it. In 2013-14, there was a profit even by buying leather at 1,900 to 2,100 taka. Today, there is no profit even if the leather is collected for free. He said that the madrasa staff had collected 65 cow skins and 291 goat skins. Cow skin at the rate of 550 taka became 35 thousand 750 and goat skin at the rate of 30 taka became 8 thousand 730. He also said that the money that comes from the sale of leather, the rent of a van for leather collection and the fees of teachers and students, nothing comes to the madrasa. Above all we are suffering because of the lack of price for leather.
Leather is a national resource. So I would like to request those concerned with leather, policy makers, government to save this leather industry. Return this right to those who are entitled to this skin.
Jehangir Alam, the teacher in charge of Jibannagar Alim Madrasa and Technical Orphanage Lillah Boarding in Chuadanga, said that I collected 12 cow skins and 87 goat skins in sacrifice. At the end of the year, I will get the price of leather, 8 skins at the rate of 700 taka, 2 at the rate of 300 taka and 2 rejected. He said that he sold 87 goat skins at the price of 30 taka. He said, to keep the education of orphan students normal, they want to guarantee the sale of leather at the right price. Still last year’s price of leather is 400 rupees. He also said, if the price of leather is like this, don’t collect leather anymore. To collect the leather, the van hire costs from 1000 to 1200 taka. Besides, the boys should be given good food on holidays. He also said that clothing is destroyed to collect leather, but the amount spent to collect leather does not come from selling the leather.
I sell leather. I sold this year too. I sold the rest of the leather. Leather money will pay two / five thousand rupees throughout the year. This money is not available at once. Seasonal leather traders have rejected 1 skin out of every 5 skins of cow and goat. 140 out of 700 skins of goats and 20 skins out of 130 skins of cows have been fixed. He said, now the amount of money that is deposited in Lillah Boarding by getting animal skins for free would have been collected by buying and selling animal skins in 2023-14.
Mufti Ruhul Amin, Khatib of Damurhuda Darus Sunna Islamia Hafezia Madrasa and Chuadanga Court Mosque said, I have an institution in Damurhuda under my management. The institution has 250 students and 21 staff members. We collected 55 cow skins and 550 goat skins in sacrifice. 10 years ago today, I sold a cow hide for 3000 to 3500 taka. Now, to sell that skin, the van hire costs from 1000 taka to 1200 taka. Besides, boys should be given good food on holidays. He also said that clothing is destroyed to collect leather, but the amount spent to collect leather does not come from selling the leather.
Abdur Razzak, a leather merchant of Alamdanga, said that he bought 4,000 goat skins at the price of Tk 30 and 300 cow skins at the price of Tk 400 to Tk 500. It costs 200 taka including labor to salt the leather. A skin is sold for Tk 900 and goat skin is sold for Tk 50 to Tk 100. I owe about Tk 40 lakh to the tannery owners in Hemayetpur in Dhaka. I can not pay.
Mahin Uddin Mia, a leather trader in the new market area of Chuadanga municipality, said that this year, he bought 200 cow skins and 1,300 goat skins as sacrifices. Depending on the quality, I bought cow leather from 400 taka to 800 taka and goat skin from 30 taka to 70 taka. He does not sell leather to the tannery. The tannery owners buy the leather but do not pay the balance. He said, Chapain sells leather in Babganj, Natore and Kushtia.
Chuadanga District Animal Resources Officer (Additional Duty) Dr. A.H.M. Shamimuzzaman said, this year in Chuadanga district, the target of 1 lakh 59 thousand sacrifices was made, out of which 1 lakh 20 thousand sacrifices took place. Among them, 99 thousand 300 goats and 20 thousand 700 cows. Price of leather Farmers did not get the desired price. We motivate farmers in various ways. If the sacrificial skin is not sold on the day of Eid, it is stored with proper management and sold after 3 days or 7 days, a good price is obtained. Besides, he said, we have contacted the law and order forces, BGB, police to ensure that the leather does not go to the western countries through smuggling.
Bisik district office deputy manager ABM Anisuzzaman said, because of the importation of raw tea on the day of sacrifice.On the day of sacrifice, the skin of the animal is temporarily stored and sold after 03 (three) days to 7 days, the price is good. If Chuadanga Orphanage collects and preserves leather on Eid day, the district orphanage can get 1 ton of salt from the administration, the market value of which is Tk 17,000. He also said that the Chuadanga Orphanage and Lillah Boarding are not getting this support due to not preserving the leather.
Due to the fact that the aarddars of Chuadanga are not buying the sacrificial skins at the price fixed by the government, the communal madrasahs of the district are suffering losses. Orphanages and lillah boardings could preserve leather if basic salt was provided for skin preservation.
In this context, Chuadanga District Commissioner Dr. Kissinger Chakma said that we are preparing a list of orphanages and lillahboarding skins that are being stored through Upazila Nirbahi officials. He also said that according to my knowledge, no interested orphanage has submitted their requirements to the upazila executive officers.
In this context, Jibannagar Hasadah Ashrafiya Hafezia Lillah Boarding and Madrasah Principal Aktaruzzan and Chuadanga Belgachi Achir Uddin Hafezia Lillah Boarding Vice President and former Councilor No. 8 of Chuadanga Municipality Sirajul Islam Moni said that the administration provides salt to preserve the skin of the sacrifice. We don’t know. They said, this is the first time I came to know that salt is available from the administration to preserve the skin of kobanani.
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