Most of the injured workers have become disabled. Poor safety system, use of old method in cutting giant ships and the lack of precautionary measures are responsible for the explosions, said the speakers at a conference in the port city yesterday.

The Young Power in Social Action (YPSA), a non-government organisation, arranged the conference.

Although the government has been earning a revenue of Tk around 700 crore a year from the ship-breaking industry, it pays no attention to it, the speakers said.

The ship-breaking industry also supplies 60 percent of the total demand for iron in the country.

The YPSA has taken up a project, funded by the Manusher Jonno, a donor organisation, to make recommendations on the development of the ship-breaking industry.

Under the project titled 'Advocacy for a public policy to ensure human rights in ship-breaking industry', the organisation will conduct a six-year-long study and submit the recommendations to the government.

The speakers said around 1.5 lakh families are directly involved in this industry, but the yards are unhygienic and dangerous, causing damage to the environment.

The YPSA conducted a preliminary survey that identified 54 problems of the workers such as threat of accident, lack of precautionary tools and safety system, drinking water crisis and wage disparity.

Chief Executive of YPSA Arifur Rahman, programme officer Abdullah Al Mamun and associate programme officers Mohammed Ali, Nahid Sultana, Kaniz Sumaiya, Mahfuza Akhter and Shafiul Alam were present at the conference.