Minister urges eco-friendly solutions for leather industry revival

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury has said to save the leather industry, environment-friendly investment should be increased.

“There will be no relaxation in quality standards in the leather industry. If the leather industry is not environmentally friendly, the export revenue target will not be met, the minister said while addressing as the chief guest a national dialogue titled "National High-Level Dialogue for Greening the Tannery and Leather Sector" at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre on Thursday.

He also called for the creation of a central effluent treatment plant or CETP to make the leather industry profitable.

“If rivers die, this damage cannot be compensated by anything. Water should have BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) in the range of 30; Dhaleswari water has four times that amount. Heavy metals more than two times. It has the potential to cause cancer in humans. Who will take responsibility for these losses?

“We cannot play the blame game. Solve the problem, not be part of it. Learn from mistakes. Making the economy eco-friendly is our priority. The government will provide the necessary assistance,” he added.

Various stakeholders of the tannery and leather sector, environmentalists and government representatives participated in the dialogue and presented various proposals and recommendations to make the sector more environmentally friendly.