Industry Minister Nurul Majid Mahmoud Humayun said on Sunday that Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in the ship recycling industry in terms of environmental issues, occupational and health safety.
The minister made the remarks when Bangladeshi Ambassador to Norway Espen Richter Svendsen met him at the latter’s office in Dhaka, the PID handout said.
U Nurul Majid said the ship recycling department was in danger of closing due to its failure to prevent environmental pollution, various accidents and negative publicity at home and abroad.
In 2011, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina declared ship recycling as an industry.
The Ministry of Industry issued the Shipbreaking and Ship Recycling Regulations in 2011 and enacted the Bangladesh Ship Recycling Act in 2018 as part of sector development, he said.
The Norwegian Ambassador urged the Government of Bangladesh to ratify the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009 (Hong Kong Convention).
As a result of ratifying the treaty, Bangladesh will have an opportunity to lead ship recycling, he said.
The ambassador said Norway is a shipbuilding country and many of the expired vessels are there for recycling. Bangladesh’s yards could benefit from capitalizing on this opportunity, he said.
“For this, we need to focus on environmental and safety issues,” said the Norwegian envoy, adding that if the Hong Kong Convention is ratified by 2023, Bangladesh will be given two more years to comply with the relevant conditions. added.
In response, the Minister of Industry said the Bangladesh government is considering ratifying the Hong Kong Convention introduced by the International Maritime Organization.
He said a Bangladeshi shipyard named PHP Shipbreaking and Ship Recycling Industries Limited has already achieved the highest compliance certificate in the industry.
In light of the Ministry of Industry’s decision, 85 Yards has already prepared a ship recycling facility plan for the technical and structural development of the shipyard, with targets set to implement the plan within the next two years. Yes, he added.
