Coronavirus shutdown: Shipbreaking yards reopening, forcing many to rejoin work

Despite the ongoing nationwide shutdown to contain the spread of coronavirus, dozens of shipbreaking yards have started to reopen at Chattogram's Sitakunda upazila today, compelling workers to rejoin work.

Workers who were unable to leave the upazila following the shutdown on March 26 are among the ones having to return, but apprehension remains among them as one shipyard worker died of flu-like symptoms on February 25.

The death sent waves of panic among the workers.

Although the deceased was from Khagrachhari district, news reached the workers in Sitakunda, who think the dead may have succumbed to the novel coronavirus.

President of Bangladesh Ship Breakers and Recyclers Association (BSBA) Mohammad Abu Taher in a letter issued on Wednesday asked owners of shipbreaking yards to start their operations.

In the letter, he also asked owners to make sure workers follow health advisory issued to contain Covid-19.

Following the orders, work has started at nearly sixty shipbreaking yards after ten days of shutdown, the president said.

Asked about their decision, Abu Taher took some time before saying they are doing this to alleviate hardship of workers who are suffering due to the shutdown and also to ensure nothing gets stolen from the yards during the lockdown.

The government had ordered owners to shut operations following the coronavirus outbreak earlier but in a meeting held on April 12, the Ministry of Industry gave them the green signal to start operations again.

The Daily Star also obtained a copy of the letter asking its association members to follow three health guidelines issued by the government which include wearing PPEs and maintaining physical distancing.

Workers -- nearly 5,000 of them -- had to stay back at the worker camps in Sitakunda upazila. One of them living in Jiri Subedar area requesting anonymity said he has been working in the yards for a decade now and they are used to working without any safety gears. And now, owing to coronavirus fears, the situation is dire as there are nearly not enough protective equipment for the workers.

The BSBA president, however, claimed all safety precautions have been taken for the workers.

Authorities across the board seem to be on the same page. AKM Shamsul Arefin, additional secretary of ministry of industry, told The Daily Star that he sees no problem in starting yard operations.

"It is the workers who urged them to restart the work as they could not go home. There are around 5,000 workers who are living on a very limited supply of daily necessities. Besides the yard owners have bank loans which they need pay off," he said.

Mohammed Ali Shahin, coordinator of YPSA (Young Power in Social Action), a platform which monitors shipbreaking activities, told The Daily Star that most shipbreaking yards don't usually have arrangement for occupational safety.

"There is reason to be doubtful regarding safety issues during coronavirus because occupational safety is not much bothered with during normal times either."