Tanners in Bangladesh collected about 5 lakh pieces of rawhides of the sacrificial animals in the very first two days of Eid-ul-Azha.

Md Shaheen Ahamed, chairman of the Bangladesh Tanners Association (BTA), disclosed the information at a press conference at the Dhanmondi Convention Hall in Dhanmondi today.

"We have so far procured about 4.75 lakh pieces of rawhides."

He said they were buying rawhides at the rate set by the government if the quality was good.

The association has set a target to procure 80 lakh pieces of rawhides this year, which is lower by 10 lakh pieces collected a year prior.

Ahamed, also the managing director of Anjuman Trading Corporation, thanked the concerted efforts of the government, the local administration and tannery owners for the smooth collection and preservation of rawhides.

The transportation system has also improved this Eid, he said.

"Furthermore, there has been a positive change in applying salt to the rawhides on time."

On June 3, the government set the price of salt-treated cowhides at Tk 55-60 per square foot (sqft) in the capital and Tk 50-55 per sqft outside the capital.

Last year, the price was Tk 50-55 per sqft in Dhaka and Tk 47-52 per sqft outside the capital.

Eid-ul-Azha, one of the biggest religious festivals for the Muslim of the country, accounts for roughly half of all the rawhides collected each year, supplying significant raw materials to the country's billion-dollar leather and leather goods export business.

Tanners have been allocated about Tk 270 crore in bank loans to procure and preserve rawhides. Last year, traders sought loans of around Tk 500 crore but received Tk 259 crore.