Chattogram: The government aims to bring fatalities in the country's shipbreaking industry down to zero while ensuring the sector's continued development, Industries Ministry Additional Secretary Rashedul Islam said today. He made the remarks while addressing a seminar titled "Safety Awareness Program on Sustainable Ship Recycling in Bangladesh: Prevention of Fatal Accidents", organised by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) at Hotel Agrabad in Chattogram.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Rashedul Islam stressed the need to make greater use of technology to improve safety at shipbreaking yards, suggesting that owners use cameras and internet connectivity to monitor operations remotely. "The shipbreaking industry is poised for billion-dollar business in the future. Therefore, safety must be ensured," he said.
Chattogram Divisional Commissioner Dr Md Ziauddin acknowledged the long history of the country's shipbreaking industry and noted the development of green ship recycling yards. He cautioned that even minor negligence in the industry could lead to serious accidents, describing shipbreaking as a highly hazardous sector requiring constant vigilance.
Bangladesh Ship Breaking and Recycling Association (BSBRA) President Mohammad Mohsin noted that accidents have declined at green shipyards compared with the past. However, he admitted that a recent accident caught the industry off guard, highlighting the ongoing need for safety improvements.
Joint Secretary of the Industries Ministry and Director General of the Bangladesh Ship Recycling Board Gazi Md Asaduzzaman Kabir, JICA expert Akira Okamoto, project official Engineer Soumik Sharif Dipta, and members of the BSBRA executive committee, among others, attended the seminar.