Ship-breaking workers’ union places 10-point demand

Ship-breaking Workers Trade Union Forum yesterday pressed home their 10-point demand for the safety of workers.

The forum placed the demand at a press conference held at Chattogram Press Club.

The demands include investigating ship-breaking accidents and holding the yard owner accountable for their negligence in worker’s death, compensation of Tk 10 lakh for each deceased worker and Tk 15 lakh for each injured worker, providing all necessary safety gears by respective yards and detoxifying the ships before dismantling.

M Shofor Ali, joint convenor of Ship-breaking Workers’ Trade Union Forum in a written statement said 66 workers died in ship-breaking yards in the last three years. In 2019, as of September, the number stands at 16. 

“The yards cost many lives every year, just because of the owners’ negligence in ensuring safety. No owner has faced any trial over this,” Shofor Ali said. 

“As per law, family of deceased worker should receive a total of Tk seven lakh but yard owners apply some manipulation to evade responsibility,” he added. 

The forum issued a seven-day ultimatum to implement their demands.