"Take stern action against the hide smugglers and check hide smuggling during the Eid-ul-Azha," State Minister for Home Lufozzaman Babar told the law-enforcing agencies at a high-level meeting at the Home Ministry yesterday.

The meeting observed that the bulk of Tk 1,700 crore leather business is procured from the rawhide of sacrificial animals after the Eid every year.

Lutfozzaman Babar was presiding over the special meeting on "prevention of rawhide smuggling" with the leaders of rawhide business.

The state minister ordered the law-enforcers to take action against "syndicated hide terrorism" in the capital as well as across the country, as the gangs become active during Eid-ul-Azha to make quick money by grabbing and smuggling rawhides.

Meeting sources said that a control room would be set up in the police headquarters with phone, fax and Internet facility to receive complaints about "irregularities or crimes relating to rawhides".

Soon after receiving the information, the strike force of police will rush to the spot to take action against the miscreants.

Besides, mobile courts will remain active before and after the Eid to prevent such crimes.

The state minister also asked the traffic police officials to take necessary steps so that hide-carrying vehicles can smoothly reach the hide-processing zones as soon as possible.