Safety Mismanagement Alleged at Sitakunda Ship Recycling Yard After Deaths of 9 Workers

Leaders of the Shipbreaking Workers Trade Union Forum have strongly condemned the deaths of nine workers who were reportedly exposed to toxic gas at Ferdaus Steel Ship Recycling Industries in Sitakunda, Chattogram.

The labour leaders said the incident should not be treated as an ordinary accident, alleging that long-standing safety lapses, violations of workplace safety rules and negligence by responsible parties may have contributed to the deaths.

They made the allegations at a protest rally and human chain held at Chattogram Press Club premises at 2pm on Sunday (August 16).

The programme was organised by the Shipbreaking Workers Trade Union Forum and chaired by its convener Tapan Dutta. Member Secretary Fazlul Kabir Mintu moderated the event.

Among those who spoke were poet Abul Momen; Port and National Resources Protection Committee Convener Professor (Dr) M Abu Sayeed; Forum Joint Convener and Chattogram divisional president of the Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal AM Nazim Uddin; Forum Treasurer Rizwanur Rahman Khan; member Nurul Absar; Bangladesh Free Trade Union Congress Chattogram divisional general secretary KM Shahidullah; Bangladesh Mukto Sramik Federation Chattogram divisional joint secretary Md Idris; and Shipbreaking Workers Trade Union Centre President Manik Mondal.

Abul Momen described the deaths of nine workers in a single incident at one yard as deeply alarming. He said workers' lives must never be treated as less important than industrial production or profit.

He called for both shipyard owners and relevant government agencies to take effective responsibility for ensuring safety in the shipbreaking industry.

Professor Abu Sayeed said ensuring workplace safety is a responsibility shared by employers and the state. He called for an independent investigation to determine the actual cause of the incident and urged legal action against anyone found responsible.

AM Nazim Uddin said workers entering ship tanks or other confined and hazardous areas must undergo gas testing and oxygen-level checks before work begins. He also stressed the need for adequate ventilation and continuous gas monitoring during operations.

He questioned whether workers involved in hazardous tasks had been provided with adequate respiratory protection and other personal protective equipment.

Tapan Dutta raised questions about how toxic gas could reportedly be present inside a ship that had received a “gas-free” certificate.

He called for investigators to determine whether proper testing had been conducted before the certificate was issued and whether gas levels were subsequently monitored while workers were carrying out operations.

Dutta said the deaths of nine workers in a single incident were unprecedented in the shipbreaking sector in recent decades and argued that the incident should not simply be dismissed as an accident.

The forum leaders said a nine-member investigation committee has already been formed by the district administration to investigate the Ferdaus Steel incident.

However, they stressed that forming a committee alone would not be sufficient. They demanded a swift, transparent and impartial investigation, followed by legal action against those found responsible.