Bangladesh must move on from shipbreaking

Tribune Editorial

While Bangladesh continues to stand at the top of the global shipbreaking industry, as it imported 130 ships for scrapping last year, there are significant drawbacks to this industry and it is about time we paid attention to them. PauseMute

While our yards have been a hub for dismantling aging ships for decades and providing jobs to thousands, it has always been a dangerous industry, and is one that can simply not be part of the long-term economic plans for a nation such as ours.

Just last year, while taking apart an oil tanker, an explosion claimed the lives of six workers and left six others critically injured. Workers in general have been forced to work in hazardous conditions, with little to no protection and very little payment.

While there may be a clear economic incentive to maintain this status quo for certain individuals and companies, it is about time we stop and realize the human cost associated with this industry. 

With the world understanding the importance of more sustainable industries, and with Bangladesh also looking to change how it is viewed internationally, we cannot continue to rely on such a perilous industry.

While Bangladesh has long needed to diversify its industry, this is one such industry that is best left unattended. Bangladesh must instead explore other avenues of revenue generation that prioritize both safety and sustainability. 

Bangladesh has the human capital, innovation potential, and geographical advantages to transition into more sustainable fields that only be safer for Bangladeshis to work in, but also yield greater revenue. 

We expect leaders of the present and the future to recognize that we need a shift, and therefore initiate policies to encourage new industries that will bring sustainable growth, improve safety standards, and chart a course toward a more prosperous and sustainable future.

source : dhakatribune