The government should allow more private effluent treatment plants (ETPs) at the Savar Tannery Industrial Plant for brightening the image of leather and leader goods industries, Bangladesh Tanners Association (BTA) President Shaheen Ahmed said today.

Ahmed was addressing a seminar on 'action for sustainable development of leather industry'.

So far, the government allowed only two private companies for construction of the private ETPs there as the Central ETP at the tannery plant has not been properly functional yet.

At the same time, the local leather and leather goods exporters are being deprived of getting the international standard prices for not obtaining the much-required Leather Working Group (LWG) certification.

"The government should allow at least 30 private ETPs now for obtaining the LWG certification, so we can get better prices from the international retailers and brands," he said.

BTA, Asia Foundation and the Economic Reporters' Forum (ERF) jointly organised the seminar at the ERF office in Dhaka to disseminate knowledge on the rawhide, leather and leather goods industries ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha to be celebrated at the end of this month.