The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Saturday directed the authorities concerned to create an environment to increase the export of leather and leather goods to $5 billion in the next 3-4 years from the existing $1.7 billion.

The directive came from a meeting on upgradation of the environmental compliance of tanneries in Savar, central effluent plant (CETP) and solid waste management to the standards of Leather Working Group (LWG).

PM’s Principal Secretary M Tofazzel Hossain Miah presided over the meeting held at the PMO in the city.

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High government officials including the Industries Secretary and the Chairman of Bangladesh Small Cottage and Industries (BSCIC), and representatives from tannery owners and leather goods manufacturers including President of Bangladesh Tanners’ Association, the President of leathergoods and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Bangladesh participated in the meeting.

Addressing the event, the Principal Secretary said the rectification and upgradation of CETP in Savar Tannery Estate is very essential.

“Now the country’s export earnings from leather and leather-goods is some US$ 1.7 billion. If we can create a proper environment , it won’t be a tough job to raise the export earnings from the sector to US$ 5 billion within the next 3-4 years,” he said.

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Tofazzel Hossain hoped the export earnings from the leather sector would go up to US$ 5 billion by 2027 if a proper environment could be created. “Here both the public sector and private sector have an important role to create this environment,” he said.

Noting that compliance is a big issue, he said it will have to rectify and upgrade the country’s leather sector in line with international compliance.

Leather Working Group (LWG) is a global multi-stakeholder community committed to building a sustainable future with responsible leather.