BNP Acting Secretary General and Prime Minister’s Political Adviser Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi today called for giving importance at the policy level for the development and expansion of the country’s leather and leather goods industry.

“The leather industry is Bangladesh’s second-largest foreign exchange-earning industry. The sector needs immediate and strong attention; otherwise, the second-largest foreign exchange-earning industry may gradually head towards decline,” he said while speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the ‘BSCIC Leather and Leather Goods Fair-2026’ at the BSCIC auditorium here this afternoon.

Before the arrival of the British and the invention of the steam engine and electricity, Bangladesh’s economy was largely dependent on cottage industries, he said, adding that the modern name for such cottage industries is small industry. 

“If there is a BSCIC industrial estate in a district, entrepreneurs associated with it can play an important role for the development of the local economy," he added. 

However, he said due attention has not been given in many district towns to the purpose for which BSCIC industrial estates were established, adding, "Due to neglect and lack of proper monitoring, many properties are deteriorating. Although there are opportunities to establish more institutions and factories there, adequate attention is not being given to the matter."

Thanking BSCIC for organizing the leather and leather goods fair, Rizvi said, leather and leather products are associated with Bangladesh’s thousands of years of heritage. “Even footwear used to be produced within self-sufficient villages. However, those traditions are now being lost,” he added. 

Attention must be given to cottage industries to make the country self-sufficient and economically self-reliant, the top BNP leader said, adding that a policy-level attention must be given to the development of this sector.

Referring to the diverse uses of leather and leather products, Rizvi said, leather goods are required in shipbuilding as well as in the light engineering industry. Therefore, importance must be given to this sector, he said. 

The BNP Acting Secretary General said not only leather processing, but also the number of factories producing high-quality footwear should be increased. There are several good and 100-percent export-oriented footwear factories in the country and such factories need to be expanded further. 

He said the government of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is currently giving importance to these issues. Importance is being given to how cottage industries can be rebuilt.

Later, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi formally inaugurated the ‘BSCIC Leather and Leather Goods Fair-2026’.

BSCIC Chairman Benjir Ahmed presided over the programme while Secretary of the Ministry of Industries Abdun Naser Khan was present as the special guest.