Foreman seriously injured at unauthorised shipbreaking yard

A foreman's leg was severely injured after a hatch cover fell on him while working at a shipbreaking yard at Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram.

The foreman, Md Khalil (45), hailed from Companiganj of Noakhali district.

The accident happened at a newly opened shipbreaking yard owned by Chattogram-4 lawmaker Didarul Alam at 11am today, reports our Chattogram correspondent quoting Al Amin, deputy inspector general of factory inspection of Chattogram circle.

Terming the yard "unauthorised", he said it does not have mandatory approval from their department. He said they will go for action for the violation of law.

A coworker of the injured foreman, preferring anonymity, told The Daily Star that Khalil's leg almost got severed when a hatch cover used to bring dismantled parts to the shore snapped and fell on him.

Sitakunda Police Station and Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) did not record the accident saying that they don't have any knowledge of such incident.

"We referred the foreman to PG Hospital in Dhaka as his condition is critical," said a residential medical officer of CMCH, wishing not to be named.

Didarul Alam could not be reached over phone for comments, as his mobile phone was found switched off.

Mohammad Ali Shahin, coordinator of YPSA, a platform working for the safety of shipyard workers told The Daily Star that today (Tuesday) is the world occupational health and safety day.

"We demand steps be taken to make sure there are zero accidents at the yards," he added.