Bangladesh shipbreaking yard faced repeated labor-law cases before 9 workers died

Ferdous Steel Ship Recycling Industries in Chattogram had been convicted twice for labor-law violations before nine workers were killed at the yard Aug. 14, according to Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments records.

Chattogram Labour Court-1 fined the company Tk 5,000 (approximately $41) in 2017 and Tk 2,000 (approximately $16) in 2018. The department filed another case this year shortly before the fatal incident.

“Despite being convicted twice for labour-law violations, the yard was found violating the law again. That is why another case was filed,” said Mahabubul Hasan, deputy inspector general of the department’s Chattogram office.

An eight-member technical committee was formed Monday by the industries ministry to investigate the deaths. No criminal case has yet been filed over the nine workers’ deaths, said Mohinul Islam, officer-in-charge of Sitakunda Police Station.