Trade union leaders and economists on Thursday (December 29, 2022) urged the tannery owners to implement social and environmental compliances for the welfare of the industry and the workers.

They said the European Union (EU) and the US are not buying leather from Bangladesh as most of the tanneries are yet to obtain certificates from Leather Working Group, an organisation of foreign leather buyers, for which the prices of leather are decreasing day by day.

The trade body leaders were speaking at the programme Dissemination workshop on "institutional policy framework in the Tannery Workers Union" in a capital hotel Thursday.

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To obtain the certificates, the tanneries will have to implement social and environmental compliance programmes, the speakers at the programme said.

Only so far three tanneries have got the certificates, they added. "And buyers of the EU and the US are buying leather from them."

Social compliance relates to the health, safety and rights of the workers; environmental compliance means conforming to environmental laws, regulations and standards.

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Professor MM Akash, chairman of the economics department of Dhaka University, spoke as the chief guest of the programme.

General Secretary of Bangladesh Trade Union Kendra Wahedul Islam Khan, President of Workers Resource Centre Anwar Hossain; President of Tannery Workers Union Abul Kalam Azad and General Secretary Abdul Malek also spoke.