The Financial Express reported that owners and workers of ship breaking yards in Chittagong staged demonstration again to maintain pressure on the government to withdraw the new environmental regulations on import of scrap vessels.

About 80 trucks carrying the demonstrators blocked the Chittagong-Dhaka highway between Bhatiary and Kumira under Sitakunda upazila at around 10.30 AM on March 6th causing untold sufferings to the traffic movement. Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on both sides on the highway for about three hours.

The ship breakers kept their yards shut from February 21 to March 2 protesting a court order that requires the importer to submit a toxic chemical free certificate before the scrap ships enter into Bangladesh territory. They reopened their yards on March 3rd following successful negotiation with the concerned government officials. But they said they would continue to press their demands with protest programs until the government withdraws the proposed state order.

The programs included rallies in the ship breaking industrial area, submission of memorandum to the prime minister through the district administration and blockade on the Chittagong-Dhaka highway in protest against the order.

Industry owners said some 30,000 workers are employed in 100 ship breaking yards along the Sitakunda coast.

(Sourced from thefinancialexpress-bd.com)