While BELA is waging court battles against import of toxic ships, the industry minister told the parliament that a policy guideline for environment-friendly ship-breaking is to be finalized by January 2012
The country is going to have an "environment-friendly" ship-breaking policy by the end of January 2012, said industries minister Dilip Barua while responding to a questing in the parliament. He said that his ministry has set the end of this January as a fresh deadline for finalizing the "environment-friendly" ship-breaking policy. The minister also said that the policy guideline would be finalized with a view to helping the sector grow without causing any harm to the environment.
Earlier on September 17, the minister had said that the government would finalize the ship-breaking and recycling policy be October of this year. The Ministry of Industries has already posted the draft policy on its website inviting public opinion on it. The minister further said that ship-breaking has been brought under the industries ministry to treat it as a full-fledged industry.
The ship-breaking industry, developing on the seashores of Chittagong, is the main source of the raw materials used by some 500 private sector re-rolling mills and nearly 50 steel mills that produce mild steel rods, bars, and angles at affordable prices. The growing demand for steel products in the country ha encouraged a good number of people to engage in the industry that proved to be very rewarding in terms of profit and employment generation.
But the safety fo ship-breaking works has been often neglected in the past. Besides, the environmental activists have criticized the environment of the country.
Meanwhile, the Norwegian government has offered support for the development of a sustainable and environment-friendly ship-breaking industry in Bangladesh. The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperating (Norad) will provide financial support under a project which will help ensure safe and environment-friendly ship recycling activities.
Norwegian ambassador in Dhaka Ragne Birte Lund conveyed the message to industries minister Dilip Barua at a meeting recently. The meeting decided to from an executive committee with all stakeholders for the project titled "Bangladesh Project for the Safe and Environment-friendly Sound Recycling of Ships"
Under the project's first phase a study will be conducted on evaluation of impact of the recycling industry on the environment. The minister emphasized that Bangladesh government is determined to build a sustainable and environment-friendly ship-breaking and ship recycling industry in the country.
He mentioned that some 85 percent of the country's total demand for steel is met by the ship-breaking industry. "The government has already finalized the draft guidelines for the safe and environment-friendly ship-breaking and ship recycling industry" he said.
On the other hand, the Supreme Court had directed the government to formulate rules to make ship-breaking industry polluting-free for the environment and safe for its workers.
A seven-number beach of the Appellate Division headed by chief justice Md. Muzammel Hossain directed the industries secretary to appear before it along with a copy of gazette notification on the rule at noon on December 14. The court come up with the order following a fresh petition filed by Bangladesh Environment Lawyers' Association (BELA) against a High Court order that extended its order on import of toxic ships on condition.
The court on March 7 in a verdict permitted import of toxic ships for two month and directed the government to formulate rules in the meantime. The extension of two months was pursuant of a petition filed by Bangladesh Ship-breakers' Association.
Subsequently, BELA filed a petition with the Appellate Division challenging the extension order of the HC. The Appellate Division held a hearing on the petition on Monday, November 21
The country is going to have an "environment-friendly" ship-breaking policy by the end of January 2012, said industries minister Dilip Barua while responding to a questing in the parliament. He said that his ministry has set the end of this January as a fresh deadline for finalizing the "environment-friendly" ship-breaking policy. The minister also said that the policy guideline would be finalized with a view to helping the sector grow without causing any harm to the environment.
Earlier on September 17, the minister had said that the government would finalize the ship-breaking and recycling policy be October of this year. The Ministry of Industries has already posted the draft policy on its website inviting public opinion on it. The minister further said that ship-breaking has been brought under the industries ministry to treat it as a full-fledged industry.
The ship-breaking industry, developing on the seashores of Chittagong, is the main source of the raw materials used by some 500 private sector re-rolling mills and nearly 50 steel mills that produce mild steel rods, bars, and angles at affordable prices. The growing demand for steel products in the country ha encouraged a good number of people to engage in the industry that proved to be very rewarding in terms of profit and employment generation.
But the safety fo ship-breaking works has been often neglected in the past. Besides, the environmental activists have criticized the environment of the country.
Meanwhile, the Norwegian government has offered support for the development of a sustainable and environment-friendly ship-breaking industry in Bangladesh. The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperating (Norad) will provide financial support under a project which will help ensure safe and environment-friendly ship recycling activities.
Norwegian ambassador in Dhaka Ragne Birte Lund conveyed the message to industries minister Dilip Barua at a meeting recently. The meeting decided to from an executive committee with all stakeholders for the project titled "Bangladesh Project for the Safe and Environment-friendly Sound Recycling of Ships"
Under the project's first phase a study will be conducted on evaluation of impact of the recycling industry on the environment. The minister emphasized that Bangladesh government is determined to build a sustainable and environment-friendly ship-breaking and ship recycling industry in the country.
He mentioned that some 85 percent of the country's total demand for steel is met by the ship-breaking industry. "The government has already finalized the draft guidelines for the safe and environment-friendly ship-breaking and ship recycling industry" he said.
On the other hand, the Supreme Court had directed the government to formulate rules to make ship-breaking industry polluting-free for the environment and safe for its workers.
A seven-number beach of the Appellate Division headed by chief justice Md. Muzammel Hossain directed the industries secretary to appear before it along with a copy of gazette notification on the rule at noon on December 14. The court come up with the order following a fresh petition filed by Bangladesh Environment Lawyers' Association (BELA) against a High Court order that extended its order on import of toxic ships on condition.
The court on March 7 in a verdict permitted import of toxic ships for two month and directed the government to formulate rules in the meantime. The extension of two months was pursuant of a petition filed by Bangladesh Ship-breakers' Association.
Subsequently, BELA filed a petition with the Appellate Division challenging the extension order of the HC. The Appellate Division held a hearing on the petition on Monday, November 21
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