Shipbreaking: 135 workers dead, over 200 injured in a decade

Faruk, a 35-year old man from Companiganj in Noakhali, was a cutterman at HM Shipbreaking Limited in Sitakunda. On 18 May, 2022, he died in an accident while cutting a ship at the yard. His wife, Bibi Hazera, was left devastated with their two daughters. With the loss of the sole breadwinner, the family is still struggling.

Faruk was the second among four brothers. His younger brother, Md Yasin, told Prothom Alo that the brothers all live separately in their village. After Faruk’s death, his wife received around Tk 500,000 as compensation. With the money, she is now struggling to raise her two daughters.

Such deaths are common in shipbreaking yards. Last year, seven workers died – six of them at a single yard named SN Corporation. In the past 10 years, 135 workers have died, and over 200 have been injured.

Currently, around 20 yards are in operation. According to labour leaders, it is a matter of deep concern that some 7-8 workers die every year in such a small number of yards. They alleged that the authorities show a dilly-dallying approach when it comes to compensating and treating injured workers.

Labour organisations have long been demanding safer working conditions in the shipbreaking yards. Environmental groups are also pushing for "greening" of the yards to make them safer and more sustainable. The industries ministry set a deadline for converting all shipbreaking yards into green yards within the current year. So far, seven yards have been green, and work is underway for another 17.

According to international law, countries importing scrap ships must ensure their yards fulfill the obligation for green yards. The key conditions for a green yard are using automated machinery, ensuring proper safety gear, and adopting modern waste management.

To implement a green shipyard, yards must submit a ship recycling facility plan (SRFP) to the industries ministry. Once approved, they can begin the transformation. For this, the factories partner with international specialists.

Professor Rajat Shankar Roy Biswas of the department of medicine at the Chattogram Maa-O-Shishu Hospital conducted a study on the health of shipbreaking workers a few years ago. The study found that long-term workers in the industry commonly suffer from respiratory inflammation, breathing complications, coughing, chest pain, and other ailments. The industry also exposes workers to hazardous substances like asbestos and toxic heavy metals, which pose serious health risks.

Tapan Dutta, convener of the shipbreaking workers’ trade union forum and president of the Chattogram trade union centre, said, “Shipbreaking is one of the most dangerous industries in the country. Workers’ lives are constantly at risk. Even after so many deaths, they do not ensure safety measures. They resort to various pretexts while compensating the workers.”

Mizan Hossain, a 33-year old man from Chhoto Kumira in Sitakunda, was severely injured on 12 May last year while working at APS Corporation in the Banshbaria area. He got a bone in his right hand and his spine fractured. He has not fully recovered yet. While the hand has healed, he still needs surgery in his spine.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Mizan said, “I was hospitalised for 20 days and had surgery on my hand. But I couldn’t afford the spine surgery. The company gave me treatment costs and an additional Tk 100,000 in compensation. Now, I need more money for treatment, but I don’t have it. I’m struggling to run my family, with my two sons and daughter.”

Child labour is also present in the shipbreaking yards. Abul Khayer, a resident of Kadam Rasul in Sitakunda, lost his 14-year-old son, Salahuddin, in an accident at SN Corporation 10 years ago. He said he got some compensation back then. They had to send him to work due to poverty.

The Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) monitors labor-related issues across industries. Fazlul Kabir, coordinator of BILS’s occupational health and safety information centre and member-secretary of the shipbreaking workers’ trade union forum, said there are numerous allegations of child labour in this sector. Though the minimum wage of Tk 16,000 has recently been implemented after much effort, workers are still being made to work for 12 hours in a shift, which violates labour laws.

A decade ago, around 150 yards were in operation in Sitakunda, with an average of 20 worker deaths per year. Many incidents were never reported, and this allegation still persists.

Currently, around 20,000 workers are directly or indirectly involved in shipbreaking and associated industries. Only 20 yards are currently in operation, and seven of them are certified green yards. Still, 5 to 7 workers die in the yards each year. Labour leaders said this rate is still disproportionately high.

In the last decade, the worst years were 2019 and 2018, with 22 and 20 deaths respectively. In 2021, 14 workers died; in 2022, the number was 10. Victims’ families are generally given compensation of up to Tk 700,000 per worker.

When asked, Shipon Chowdhury, deputy inspector general of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, said there were seven deaths last year. Accidents will reduce further once all yards are green. “We prioritise securing compensation for victims.”