Toxic Gas Leak at Bangladesh Shipbreaking Yard Kills Eight Workers
A suspected toxic gas leak at a shipbreaking yard in southeastern Bangladesh killed at least eight workers during ship dismantling.
At least eight workers have died following a suspected toxic gas leak at a shipbreaking yard in southeastern Bangladesh, according to police. The incident occurred on Friday at the Ferdous Steel Ship Breaking Yard in the Sitakunda area while workers were dismantling a decommissioned vessel.
Police Inspector Mohammed Alamgir reported that the initial death toll stood at six, with two more workers succumbing to the effects of the gas after being transported from the site. Several other workers were also injured in the incident.
The company has not yet responded to requests for comment. Senior government factory inspection official Mahbubul Hasan stated that the workers died due to toxic gas emissions from the ship, as reported by the official news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha.
An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the gas emission and to assess whether adequate safety measures were in place for the workers at the yard, Hasan added.
The shipbreaking industry in Bangladesh is a major global player, concentrated along a 20-kilometer stretch of the Sitakunda coast in Chattogram. The region is home to roughly 150 registered yards, accounting for about 36% of global ship scrapping. The industry generates an annual turnover of $2.46 billion and supplies over half of the nation's scrap steel, employing tens of thousands of workers.
Environmental campaigners have long raised concerns about the industry's lack of safety protocols and environmental standards, noting that ships often arrive in Bangladesh carrying hazardous waste from Western countries.