Sitakunda Shipbreaking Yard Accident: Police File Case Four Days After Deaths of 9 Workers

Four days after a toxic-gas accident at a ship recycling yard in Sitakunda, Chattogram, police have filed an unnatural death (UD) case over the deaths of nine workers.

The incident occurred at the Ferdous Steel Ship Recycling Yard in Bhatiary, where workers were reportedly exposed to poisonous gas while cutting a scrap vessel.

As none of the deceased or affected workers' families came forward to file a case, police filed the UD case themselves at Sitakunda Model Police Station on Monday (August 17).

Sitakunda Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohinul Islam confirmed the matter.

He said the families of the victims had not approached the police with a complaint. Therefore, police filed the case as an unnatural death case. Further legal action will be taken after receiving the forensic and investigation reports, he added.

Meanwhile, investigation teams entered the affected vessel on Monday afternoon under special safety arrangements to determine what caused the accident.

Representatives from the Ministry of Industries, Chattogram District Administration and Bangladesh Ship Breakers and Recyclers Association (BSBRA) were involved in the investigation.

The team also included explosives experts from Dhaka, senior officials from the environment and shipping ministries, and officials from the Department of Environment, Department of Explosives and Fire Service and Civil Defence.

Additional Secretary A.K.M. Benjamin Riazi, head of the Industries Ministry's investigation committee, said preliminary findings indicated the presence of dangerously high levels of toxic gas inside the vessel's ballast tank.

He said specialist recovery teams from two companies, Prantik and Alif, would examine the quantity and nature of the gas.

Investigators are particularly looking into whether hydrogen sulphide or other toxic gases were present inside the vessel.

They are also examining whether there were shortcomings in safety measures or whether negligence by any party contributed to the deaths.

The accident occurred at around 9am on August 14 at the ship recycling yard near Station Road in Bhatiary.

The workers were cutting a scrap vessel when they were reportedly overcome by toxic gas. Nine workers died in the incident, while several others were rescued and taken to hospital after becoming ill.

The ongoing investigation is expected to determine the exact nature of the toxic gas, the cause of its accumulation inside the vessel and whether adequate safety measures were in place at the shipbreaking yard.