Natore, June 14 -- The government's recent decision to ban rawhide-laden vehicles from entering Dhaka for ten days following Eid-ul-Azha has cast a shadow of anxiety over Natore, home to the country's second-largest rawhide market.

A field visit to the Chak Boidyanath rawhide hub on Friday revealed warehouses overflowing with salted rawhides, with excess stock piling up along adjacent roads due to lack of space. Traders and wholesalers said the ban has stalled business operations, raising fears that goat and sheep hides will degrade in quality despite salting, especially in the summer heat.

One trader Rakib Uddin Kamal said, "The sudden decision lacks practicality. If hides can't be sent to Dhaka within two to three days of salting, the...