Bangladesh: Government to create ship-breaking zone

The government will set up a specific zone for ship-breaking yards at Sitakunda in Chittagong and introduce greater regulation for better environmental and safety standards, Hassan Mahmud, state minister for environment, said. He said a meeting between officials of the environment and forest, industries and shipping ministries will be held soon to discuss establishment of the zone.
"Ship-breaking yards will not be allowed to operate in a scattered way along the coast," Mahmud said.
The minister was talking to reporters after visiting the accident-hit Rahim Steel and Ship Yard at Madam Bibirhat in Sitakunda.
On Saturday, four men died and 10 received injuries in an explosion on a ship being broken there.
Lethal accidents commonly occur at ship-breaking yards due to extremely hazardous working conditions with little oversight.
The new zone for ship-breaking will also help prevent grabbing of coastal land and felling of trees for the purpose, Mahmud said.
The Sitakunda and Sonaichhari area on the coast has recently seen nearly 2000 trees felled illegally.
Replying to a query, the minister said whoever owns forestland along the coast will not be allowed to cut trees without the approval of authorities concerned.
Government officials earlier leased out forestland for ship-breaking yards out of ignorance, he added.
Keeping in view the hazards of ship-breaking, worker safety and the interest of yard owners, the government is framing a policy in coordination with labour, industries, environment and shipping ministries, Mahmud said, replying to another query.
The ship-breaking industry will come under regulations and casualty rate in the yards will come down if such policy is formulated, he added.
The minister also warned that the owners of ship-breaking yards will face the consequences of doing harm to the environment, whether through deforestation or pollution from toxic wastes on scrap ships.