Our goal is ‘zero deaths’

Since 2000, Young Power in Social Action (YPSA) has been working to improve labour conditions, enhance worker skills, promote welfare and tackle environmental pollution in the shipbreaking yards of Sitakunda. 

Along the way, they have encountered challenges, particularly conflicts between yard owners and workers. Despite these obstacles, YPSA has made significant strides over the past two decades, developing a skilled workforce, improving worker safety and reducing accidents. 

In this interview with The Business Standard, Muhammed Ali Shahin, assistant director of YPSA and focal person for its Shipbreaking Campaign, reflects on the organisation's journey, the challenges it had to overcome, its achievements and its goals for the future.

What steps has YPSA taken to ensure safe working conditions and address environmental risks in Chattogram's shipbreaking industry?

We started working in Sitakunda in 2000, focusing on raising awareness about worker safety and creating a safer work environment. At the time, we collected data on injuries, fatalities and environmental damage and shared fact-finding reports with government bodies and yard owners. 

Through these efforts, we conducted eight research studies that highlighted various issues in the yards. Two of our publications — End of Life Ships and Childbreaking Yards — gained widespread recognition and introduced us to the international community as a credible resource for the ship-breaking industry.

From the beginning, YPSA acted as a pressure group advocating for labour rights and environmental protection. In addition to our advocacy, we trained workers to improve their skills and safety awareness. 

Recently, we introduced job-based training programs to prepare workers for more specialised roles. Our goal is to contribute toward building a green ship recycling industry and we are continuing our efforts in that direction.

How have working conditions and compensation improved over the years? Has the rate of worker fatalities decreased?

In the early days, safety awareness was almost nonexistent and accidents were very common. Over the past decade, at least 142 workers have lost their lives in the ship-breaking yards. 

However, the situation has improved, and fatality rates have decreased significantly. Today, yard owners, workers and foremen are much more conscious about safety. While some yards strictly follow all safety protocols, others still have room for improvement.

This isn't just about compliance — it's about creating an industry that values human lives and the planet equally.

Muhammed Ali Shahin, assistant director of YPSA and focal person for its Shipbreaking Campaign

Previously, we would see fatalities and injuries almost every week. Now, accidents are rare. Thanks to collaborative efforts by YPSA, other NGOs, international organisations and government agencies, safety standards have improved. 

However, occasional accidents still occur and our ultimate goal remains zero deaths across all yards.

In the past, the compensation for a worker's death was around Tk1 lakh. Now, under labour laws, families receive Tk2 lakh, with an additional Tk5 lakh provided by district authorities — making it a total of Tk7 lakh per case.

The industry has come a long way, but there is still more work to do. Our efforts to make the yards fully safe and sustainable continue.

What challenges did you face while implementing these initiatives, and how did you overcome them?

Initially, yard owners saw us as adversaries and believed our efforts to improve safety were against their interests. But over time, both owners and workers realised that our goal was to promote compliance, safety and welfare — not opposition. 

While the situation has improved, the industry is still not entirely safe and not all yards are fully compliant. There is more work to be done.

We hope that in the future when accidents and pollution are reduced to zero, we can confidently say that the industry has achieved complete safety. Until then, we will continue to push for progress.

What are the key challenges the ship-breaking industry currently faces, and how can they be addressed?

According to government regulations, international laws and the Hong Kong Convention, all yards must become "green yards" by June 2025. If they fail to meet these standards, they will no longer be allowed to import ships. This is a significant challenge for the industry.

Additionally, the post-Covid dollar crisis has created financial pressure for investors, making it harder to implement the required changes. The government needs to take steps to support the industry during this transition.

There is also an urgent need to extend the deadline for achieving green yard certification. If the yard owners' association collectively appeals for an extension, the government might consider it. A decision from the government is essential to ease this transition.

YPSA and other organisations remain committed to helping the ship-breaking industry evolve into a safer, greener sector. We are determined to ensure that progress continues and that the industry achieves its full potential.

This interview highlights the journey of the ship-breaking industry in Bangladesh — its challenges, improvements and the road ahead — through the lens of YPSA's ongoing efforts. The focus remains clear: to achieve zero deaths, zero pollution, and a safer, more sustainable future for all stakeholders involved.