Buttons from bones

Even 10 years ago, bones and horns of cows and buffalos were simply discarded after the animals were slaughtered. Now, however, a businessman from Syedpur, Nilphamari, earns around Tk 200 million every year exporting high quality buttons made of those bones and horns.

The buttons are attractive and last long.

Entrepreneur Nazrul Islam set up Agro Resource Company Ltd. in Syedpur at the cost of Tk 320 million. Street children would collect the discarded bones and horns for him. Those were then used to manufacture high-quality buttons in three factories set up at the Syedpur bypass, Sonapukur and Dinajpur’s Chirirbandar areas.

The firm exports these buttons to Germany, Spain, Austria, China, Hong Kong and other countries.

Managing director of Agro Resource Nazrul Islam was selected as a CIP (Commercially Important Person) in 1990 and 1991 for his initiative.

The company, set up on a small scale in Kundal area of Syedpur in 1980, used to produce fertiliser from powdered bones of cows and buffalos for local farmers. It also exported the bone powder.

Later, the company imported machines to make buttons and shifted the factory to the Syedpur bypass area. Two offices were also opened in Natun Babupara of Syedpur and Motijheel, Dhaka.

“Our firm has been exporting buttons made from powdered bones and horns since 1980s,” Nazrul Islam told Prothom Alo.

He alleged a few unscrupulous businessmen smuggle out high-quality horns and bones to India.

They export the horns and bones, using fake documents, he said.

Nazrul Islam said he has informed the matter to prime minister’s office, commerce minister and secretary, fisheries and livestock secretary, finance ministry, export development bureau vice chairman, FBCCI president and authorities of Burimari and Benapole land ports and requested them to take action in this regard.

*The piece, originally appeared in print edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Shameem Reza