The High Court yesterday issued 4 directives on
the government to ensure safety of ship breaking workers against the backdrop
of recent accidents that killed 8 workers.
In response to a writ petition, the court asked the
environment and forest ministry to submit a report on whether a high-powered
technical sub-committee is operating as per the court's directives, the terms
and conditions mentioned in the environmental clearance certificate are being
met and the condition of the country's ship-breaking yards is safe for workers.
The bench ordered the Department of Explosives to
submit the gas-free certificates it issued in favour of Fortune Shipyard, SRS
Shipyard, RK Shipyard and Jiri Subedar Shipyard.
The 8 workers of these companies died between
September 17 and October 16 in Chittagong
The court directed the director (enforcement) of
the Department of Environment to file a report identifying the causes behind
the recent explosions.
It also ordered the Chief Inspector (factory) of
the Department of Explosives to submit a report on whether the family members
of the dead workers received adequate compensation and the injured received
required costs for treatment.
The HC bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury
and Justice Jahangir Hossain came up with the directives following the petition
filed by Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association (Bela).
The bench however did not mention any time limit
for complying with its directives.
The organisation moved the petition seeking HC
directives on the government to take necessary steps to ensure healthy
environment for workers and prevent loss of lives at the shipbreaking yards.
Earlier on June 25, 2009 the HC spelled series of
measures for safety of the workers and protection of the environment. It also
ordered not to import any toxic ship within the territory of Bangladesh
Following a petition filed by Bangladesh Ship
Breakers' Association (BSBA), the HC on July 21 extended till October 12 its
order allowing conditional import and dismantling of toxic ships, mentioning
the importers and shipbreakers must ensure workers' and environmental safety.
The HC bench yesterday said it will not extend
further its order permitting import of toxic ship.
Meanwhile, Bela in a release yesterday said there
is no scope to import any toxic ship for dismantling in the country, since the
HC order in this connection has already expired.
Bela's counsel Iqbal Kabir Lytton told The Daily
Star that BSBA has further filed a petition on October 16 seeking six months' extension
of its July 21 order.
The HC will hear the extension petition after its
Eid-ul Azha vacation, he added.
Deputy Attorney General ABM Altaf Hossain
represented the government.
Source: The Daily Star. 28 October 2011
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