Worker killed at shipbreaking yard

A worker was killed and four others were injured as an iron plate fell on them while they were working at a shipbreaking yard in Chittagong's Sitakunda upazila on Sunday.

The dead is Rana Miah, 30, of Gaibandha, said the shipbreaking yard officials.

Abdur Rahman, assistant sub-inspector of Sitakunda Police Station, said the accident took place at Seiko Steel Shipbreaking Yard in Sonaichhari around 6:00pm. Five workers were wounded in the incident.

Rana was rushed to Chittagong Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead. The four others wounded were taken to the hospital of Bangladesh Ship Breakers' Association at Bhatiari in Sitakunda.  

Abdul Hai Khan, deputy inspector general of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishment in Chittagong, said their inspector visited the shipbreaking yard.

“We are investigating whether the workers were provided safety equipment,” he said.

Asked, Osman Gani, manager of Seiko Steel Shipbreaking Yard, said the workers were provided all safety equipment, but they took off those due to severe heat.

“We will compensate the victims' families as per the labour law,” he said.

An unnatural death case was filed in this connection.

Including Rana, at least four workers have so far been killed in accidents in different shipbreaking yards in Chittagong this year. Around 13 workers were killed in accidents in shipbreaking yards last year.