The groundbreaking Traceable and Circular Leather Production (TCLP) event was held in Dhaka by LeatherTrace Bangladesh. The event, hosted by iDEA TREE and SERA Bangladesh, highlighted a notable effort supported within the SMEP framework, with a focus on enhancing traceability, sustainability, and adherence to international standards within Bangladesh’s leather industry.
Notable individuals attended the program, including Md. Salim Ullah, Additional Secretary (Policy, Law & International Cooperation) at the Ministry of Industries, and Ashraf Uddin Ahmed Khan, Additional Secretary and Chairman of the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC).
Khan highlighted that this forward-thinking project would enhance Bangladesh’s leather industries. Ullah emphasised the importance of moving the leather industry from Hazaribagh to Hemayetpur, Savar, saying that doing so is essential for protecting the environment and that the Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) must be operational as soon as possible.
Alongside leaders from organisations like the Bangladesh Tanners Association (BTA) and the Bangladesh Finished Leather, Leathergoods and Footwear Exporters Association (BFLLFEA), among others, the event also included Dr. Mohammad Kamruzzaman, Director of the Institute of Leather Engineering and Technology at the University of Dhaka. A wide variety of people from the leather business attended the event, including supply chain officials, academics, industry specialists, and representatives from international NGOs and UN agencies.
With the continuous cooperation of all parties involved, especially the leadership of industry groups, Kauser Ali, Head of Operations at iDEA TREE, expressed hope that the TCLP would have a major positive impact on Bangladesh’s leather sector.
