Bangladesh has to sell tanned leather at 40 per cent below international rates. This is because of poor compliance and working conditions in the leather sector as well as a lack of certification, which is a must for better prices. Tanners use between 45,000 and 50,000 liters of water to wash a ton of rawhides but the international standard is 25,000 liters. So to begin with tanneries have to produce goods at eco-friendly factories. Safety, health and transport facility for workers need to be worked on. Cold storages need to be set up in different parts of the country so that rawhides can be preserved there for a long time.

The contribution of the country’s leather sector is 0.35 per cent to the gross domestic product and 3.54 per cent to national exports. Exports of leather and leather goods from Bangladesh have rebounded after more than two years due to higher shipments to non-traditional markets. Work orders are expected to further increase after a certification is attained from the global rights body Labor Working Group. The LWG certification is awarded to companies based on points awarded for factors such as treatment and less use of water, solid waste management, chemical use and labor welfare.