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Chittagong, Bangladesh’s second largest city with a population of 2,5 million, is located in the Bengali Gulf. Because of its harbour, it is the richest region in the country and essentially, the second largest shipbreaking industry after Alang, India. The massive boats are “disembodied” with bare hands by untrained workers, thus spreading in the clean sea of Chittagong cancerous residue, turning the green land into a toxic dumpsite. Tragic irony: 150 kilometers south of Chittagong lies the planet’s biggest natural sandy sea beach and tourist resort Cox’s Bazaar. According to Greenpeace and the FIDH, 20% is under 15 years of age. The highly paid earn a “fat wage” of 3 or 4 euros a day. These are the cutters, the ones who cling to the ship to slice it apart. The average life span of a worker in the «shipyards of death» is roughly 40 years – 20 less than the common resident of Bangladesh. According to Greenpeace, International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) and local’s Young Power in Social Action (YPSA), the “death” of one ship results in an average of one injury per day plus one death per week, caused by sudden explosions, fire, suffocation and falling steel plates.Entrance to journalists and photographers is forbidden. For three days I was taking photographs, concealed in a young fisherman’s pirogua that was floating among rusty massive debris. Photographs & article by Maro Kouri

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745 Bangladesh shipbreakers have illegally beached toxic ships for scrapping on the Chittagong coast for the last 30 years, according to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a global coalition of environmental, human and labor rights non-governmental organizations working for safe and clean ship recycling. The work is done on or around the beach by unskilled laborers who travel from the poorest parts to work for a pittance, largely without any protection. The sites see asbestos thrown freely about, the dust filling the air and the toxic smoke from metal cutting drifts amongst the workers. Heavy metals run freely into the sand along with the waste lubricants to pollute the beach and sea. Although there are safer and cleaner methods for recycling ships, cash buyers continue to sell their vessels to the poorest countries of South Asia to gain maximum profit///Disassembling the beast © Maro Kouri 744 Bangladesh shipbreakers have beached toxic ships for scrapping on the Chittagong coast for the last 30 years, according to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a global coalition of environmental, human and labor rights non-governmental organizations working for safe and clean ship recycling. «It is a clear violation of the 2009 High Court order that stated that no ship could be beached without an environmental clearance certificate that guarantees that they are free of all in-built toxic materials» explains Rizwana Hasan, Goldman Prize winner and Exectutive Director of Platform member, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Asssoication (BELA). The work is done on or around the beach by unskilled labourers who travel from the poorest parts to work for a pittance, largely without any protection. The sites see asbestos thrown freely about, the dust filling the air and the toxic smoke from metal cutting drifts amongst the workers. Heavy metals run freely into the sand along with the waste lubricants to pollute the beach and sea. Although there are safer and cleaner methods for recycling ships, cash buyers continue to sell their vessels to the poorest countries of South Asia to gain maximum profit. © Maro Kouri 746 Bangladesh shipbreakers have illegally beached toxic ships for scrapping on the Chittagong coast for the last 30 years, according to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a global coalition of environmental, human and labor rights non-governmental organizations working for safe and clean ship recycling. The work is done on or around the beach by unskilled labourers who travel from the poorest parts to work for a pittance, largely without any protection. The sites see asbestos thrown freely about, the dust filling the air and the toxic smoke from metal cutting drifts amongst the workers. Heavy metals run freely into the sand along with the waste lubricants to pollute the beach and sea. Although there are safer and cleaner methods for recycling ships, cash buyers continue to sell their vessels to the poorest countries of South Asia to gain maximum profit///An old fisherman tries to catch some fish even though he knows the ships' toxics have poisoned them © Maro Kouri 747 Bangladesh shipbreakers have illegally beached toxic ships for scrapping on the Chittagong coast for the last 30 years, according to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a global coalition of environmental, human and labor rights non-governmental organizations working for safe and clean ship recycling. The work is done on or around the beach by unskilled labourers who travel from the poorest parts to work for a pittance, largely without any protection. The sites see asbestos thrown freely about, the dust filling the air and the toxic smoke from metal cutting drifts amongst the workers. Heavy metals run freely into the sand along with the waste lubricants to pollute the beach and sea. Although there are safer and cleaner methods for recycling ships, cash buyers continue to sell their vessels to the poorest countries of South Asia to gain maximum profit///Workers during their break in the scrap © Maro Kouri 748 Bangladesh shipbreakers have illegally beached toxic ships for scrapping on the Chittagong coast for the last 30 years, according to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a global coalition of environmental, human and labor rights non-governmental organizations working for safe and clean ship recycling. The work is done on or around the beach by unskilled labourers who travel from the poorest parts to work for a pittance, largely without any protection. The sites see asbestos thrown freely about, the dust filling the air and the toxic smoke from metal cutting drifts amongst the workers. Heavy metals run freely into the sand along with the waste lubricants to pollute the beach and sea. Although there are safer and cleaner methods for recycling ships, cash buyers continue to sell their vessels to the poorest countries of South Asia to gain maximum profit///A boy plays in his father's fishing boat in front of the giant scraps that seems like monsters in his innocent eyes © Maro Kouri 749 Bangladesh shipbreakers have illegally beached 16 toxic ships for scrapping on the Chittagong coast last month according to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a global coalition of environmental, human and labour rights non-governmental organisations working for safe and clean ship recycling. «It is a clear violation of the 2009 High Court order that stated that no ship could be beached without an environmental clearance certificate that guarantees that they are free of all in-built toxic materials» explains Rizwana Hasan, Goldman Prize winner and Exectutive Director of Platform member, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Asssoication (BELA). Shifts start at seven in the morning and go through till eleven at night with two hours in breaks. The work is done on or around the beach by unskilled laborers who travel from the poorest parts to work for a pittance, largely without any representation. No latrines or showers exist, and disease is rife. The sites see asbestos thrown freely about, the dust filling the air, the toxic smoke from metal cutting drifts amongst the workers. Heavy metals run freely into the sand along with the waste lubricants to wash out to sea. The Geneva based International Metalworkers Federation, who published an extensive survey in 2007 on working practices in the region, estimates that in Bangladesh a worker dies in the breaking yards every three weeks on average. Although there are safer and cleaner methods for recycling ships, cashbuyers continue to sell their vessels to the poorest countries of South Asia to gain maximum profit///Fishermen's children in their boats among the huge broken ship parts © Maro Kouri 750 Bangladesh shipbreakers have illegally beached 16 toxic ships for scrapping on the Chittagong coast last month according to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a global coalition of environmental, human and labour rights non-governmental organisations working for safe and clean ship recycling. «It is a clear violation of the 2009 High Court order that stated that no ship could be beached without an environmental clearance certificate that guarantees that they are free of all in-built toxic materials» explains Rizwana Hasan, Goldman Prize winner and Exectutive Director of Platform member, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Asssoication (BELA). Shifts start at seven in the morning and go through till eleven at night with two hours in breaks. The work is done on or around the beach by unskilled laborers who travel from the poorest parts to work for a pittance, largely without any representation. No latrines or showers exist, and disease is rife. The sites see asbestos thrown freely about, the dust filling the air, the toxic smoke from metal cutting drifts amongst the workers. Heavy metals run freely into the sand along with the waste lubricants to wash out to sea. The Geneva based International Metalworkers Federation, who published an extensive survey in 2007 on working practices in the region, estimates that in Bangladesh a worker dies in the breaking yards every three weeks on average. Although there are safer and cleaner methods for recycling ships, cashbuyers continue to sell their vessels to the poorest countries of South Asia to gain maximum profit. © Maro Kouri 751 Bangladesh shipbreakers have illegally beached toxic ships for scrapping on the Chittagong coast for the last 30 years, according to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a global coalition of environmental, human and labor rights non-governmental organizations working for safe and clean ship recycling. The work is done on or around the beach by unskilled laborers who travel from the poorest parts to work for a pittance, largely without any protection. The sites see asbestos thrown freely about, the dust filling the air and the toxic smoke from metal cutting drifts amongst the workers. Heavy metals run freely into the sand along with the waste lubricants to pollute the beach and sea. Although there are safer and cleaner methods for recycling ships, cash buyers continue to sell their vessels to the poorest countries of South Asia to gain maximum profit///Disassembling the beast © Maro Kouri 752 Bangladesh shipbreakers have illegally beached 16 toxic ships for scrapping on the Chittagong coast last month according to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a global coalition of environmental, human and labour rights non-governmental organisations working for safe and clean ship recycling. «It is a clear violation of the 2009 High Court order that stated that no ship could be beached without an environmental clearance certificate that guarantees that they are free of all in-built toxic materials» explains Rizwana Hasan, Goldman Prize winner and Exectutive Director of Platform member, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Asssoication (BELA). Shifts start at seven in the morning and go through till eleven at night with two hours in breaks. The work is done on or around the beach by unskilled laborers who travel from the poorest parts to work for a pittance, largely without any representation. No latrines or showers exist, and disease is rife. The sites see asbestos thrown freely about, the dust filling the air, the toxic smoke from metal cutting drifts amongst the workers. Heavy metals run freely into the sand along with the waste lubricants to wash out to sea. The Geneva based International Metalworkers Federation, who published an extensive survey in 2007 on working practices in the region, estimates that in Bangladesh a worker dies in the breaking yards every three weeks on average.Although there are safer and cleaner methods for recycling ships, cashbuyers continue to sell their vessels to the poorest countries of South Asia to gain maximum profit///Dissapointed fishermen from the Chittagong village named Jele Para, return home with no fish, due to the toxic pollution that comes from the broken ships © Maro Kouri 753 Bangladesh shipbreakers have illegally beached 16 toxic ships for scrapping on the Chittagong coast last month according to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a global coalition of environmental, human and labour rights non-governmental organisations working for safe and clean ship recycling. «It is a clear violation of the 2009 High Court order that stated that no ship could be beached without an environmental clearance certificate that guarantees that they are free of all in-built toxic materials» explains Rizwana Hasan, Goldman Prize winner and Exectutive Director of Platform member, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Asssoication (BELA). Shifts start at seven in the morning and go through till eleven at night with two hours in breaks. The work is done on or around the beach by unskilled laborers who travel from the poorest parts to work for a pittance, largely without any representation. No latrines or showers exist, and disease is rife. The sites see asbestos thrown freely about, the dust filling the air, the toxic smoke from metal cutting drifts amongst the workers. Heavy metals run freely into the sand along with the waste lubricants to wash out to sea. The Geneva based International Metalworkers Federation, who published an extensive survey in 2007 on working practices in the region, estimates that in Bangladesh a worker dies in the breaking yards every three weeks on average. Although there are safer and cleaner methods for recycling ships, cashbuyers continue to sell their vessels to the poorest countries of South Asia to gain maximum profit. © Maro Kouri 754 Bangladesh shipbreakers have illegally beached 16 toxic ships for scrapping on the Chittagong coast last month according to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a global coalition of environmental, human and labour rights non-governmental organisations working for safe and clean ship recycling. «It is a clear violation of the 2009 High Court order that stated that no ship could be beached without an environmental clearance certificate that guarantees that they are free of all in-built toxic materials» explains Rizwana Hasan, Goldman Prize winner and Exectutive Director of Platform member, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Asssoication (BELA). Shifts start at seven in the morning and go through till eleven at night with two hours in breaks. The work is done on or around the beach by unskilled laborers who travel from the poorest parts to work for a pittance, largely without any representation. No latrines or showers exist, and disease is rife. The sites see asbestos thrown freely about, the dust filling the air, the toxic smoke from metal cutting drifts amongst the workers. Heavy metals run freely into the sand along with the waste lubricants to wash out to sea. The Geneva based International Metalworkers Federation, who published an extensive survey in 2007 on working practices in the region, estimates that in Bangladesh a worker dies in the breaking yards every three weeks on average. Although there are safer and cleaner methods for recycling ships, cashbuyers continue to sell their vessels to the poorest countries of South Asia to gain maximum profit. © Maro Kouri 755 Bangladesh shipbreakers have illegally beached 16 toxic ships for scrapping on the Chittagong coast last month according to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a global coalition of environmental, human and labour rights non-governmental organisations working for safe and clean ship recycling. «It is a clear violation of the 2009 High Court order that stated that no ship could be beached without an environmental clearance certificate that guarantees that they are free of all in-built toxic materials» explains Rizwana Hasan, Goldman Prize winner and Exectutive Director of Platform member, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Asssoication (BELA). Shifts start at seven in the morning and go through till eleven at night with two hours in breaks. The work is done on or around the beach by unskilled laborers who travel from the poorest parts to work for a pittance, largely without any representation. No latrines or showers exist, and disease is rife. The sites see asbestos thrown freely about, the dust filling the air, the toxic smoke from metal cutting drifts amongst the workers. Heavy metals run freely into the sand along with the waste lubricants to wash out to sea. The Geneva based International Metalworkers Federation, who published an extensive survey in 2007 on working practices in the region, estimates that in Bangladesh a worker dies in the breaking yards every three weeks on average. Although there are safer and cleaner methods for recycling ships, cashbuyers continue to sell their vessels to the poorest countries of South Asia to gain maximum profit///Fisherman carries wood. The water at the river is polluted because of shipbreaking that exports toxics © Maro Kouri 756 Bangladesh shipbreakers have illegally beached 16 toxic ships for scrapping on the Chittagong coast last month according to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a global coalition of environmental, human and labour rights non-governmental organisations working for safe and clean ship recycling. «It is a clear violation of the 2009 High Court order that stated that no ship could be beached without an environmental clearance certificate that guarantees that they are free of all in-built toxic materials» explains Rizwana Hasan, Goldman Prize winner and Exectutive Director of Platform member, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Asssoication (BELA). Shifts start at seven in the morning and go through till eleven at night with two hours in breaks. The work is done on or around the beach by unskilled laborers who travel from the poorest parts to work for a pittance, largely without any representation. No latrines or showers exist, and disease is rife. The sites see asbestos thrown freely about, the dust filling the air, the toxic smoke from metal cutting drifts amongst the workers. Heavy metals run freely into the sand along with the waste lubricants to wash out to sea. The Geneva based International Metalworkers Federation, who published an extensive survey in 2007 on working practices in the region, estimates that in Bangladesh a worker dies in the breaking yards every three weeks on average. Although there are safer and cleaner methods for recycling ships, cashbuyers continue to sell their vessels to the poorest countries of South Asia to gain maximum profit/// Boy tries to get some water that is polluted from the shipbreaking © Maro Kouri 757 Bangladesh shipbreakers have illegally beached 16 toxic ships for scrapping on the Chittagong coast last month according to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a global coalition of environmental, human and labour rights non-governmental organisations working for safe and clean ship recycling. «It is a clear violation of the 2009 High Court order that stated that no ship could be beached without an environmental clearance certificate that guarantees that they are free of all in-built toxic materials» explains Rizwana Hasan, Goldman Prize winner and Exectutive Director of Platform member, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Asssoication (BELA). Shifts start at seven in the morning and go through till eleven at night with two hours in breaks. The work is done on or around the beach by unskilled laborers who travel from the poorest parts to work for a pittance, largely without any representation. No latrines or showers exist, and disease is rife. The sites see asbestos thrown freely about, the dust filling the air, the toxic smoke from metal cutting drifts amongst the workers. Heavy metals run freely into the sand along with the waste lubricants to wash out to sea. The Geneva based International Metalworkers Federation, who published an extensive survey in 2007 on working practices in the region, estimates that in Bangladesh a worker dies in the breaking yards every three weeks on average. Although there are safer and cleaner methods for recycling ships, cashbuyers continue to sell their vessels to the poorest countries of South Asia to gain maximum profit. © Maro Kouri 758 Bangladesh shipbreakers have illegally beached toxic ships for scrapping on the Chittagong coast for the last 30 years, according to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a global coalition of environmental, human and labor rights non-governmental organizations working for safe and clean ship recycling. The work is done on or around the beach by unskilled laborers who travel from the poorest parts to work for a pittance, largely without any protection. The sites see asbestos thrown freely about, the dust filling the air and the toxic smoke from metal cutting drifts amongst the workers. Heavy metals run freely into the sand along with the waste lubricants to pollute the beach and sea. Although there are safer and cleaner methods for recycling ships, cash buyers continue to sell their vessels to the poorest countries of South Asia to gain maximum profit///Harou a fisherman, is disappointed as he will return home to his kids, without any fish due to the toxins from the broken ships © Maro Kouri 759 Bangladesh shipbreakers have illegally beached 16 toxic ships for scrapping on the Chittagong coast last month according to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a global coalition of environmental, human and labour rights non-governmental organisations working for safe and clean ship recycling. «It is a clear violation of the 2009 High Court order that stated that no ship could be beached without an environmental clearance certificate that guarantees that they are free of all in-built toxic materials» explains Rizwana Hasan, Goldman Prize winner and Exectutive Director of Platform member, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Asssoication (BELA). Shifts start at seven in the morning and go through till eleven at night with two hours in breaks. The work is done on or around the beach by unskilled laborers who travel from the poorest parts to work for a pittance, largely without any representation. No latrines or showers exist, and disease is rife. The sites see asbestos thrown freely about, the dust filling the air, the toxic smoke from metal cutting drifts amongst the workers. Heavy metals run freely into the sand along with the waste lubricants to wash out to sea. The Geneva based International Metalworkers Federation, who published an extensive survey in 2007 on working practices in the region, estimates that in Bangladesh a worker dies in the breaking yards every three weeks on average. Although there are safer and cleaner methods for recycling ships, cashbuyers continue to sell their vessels to the poorest countries of South Asia to gain maximum profit///Woman passes the wooden bridge that connects the fishing village Jele Para to the central avenue of Chittagong. Fishermen complain that the majority of the fish does not exist any more due to the pollution of the sea, that shipbreaking causes © Maro Kouri 760 Bangladesh shipbreakers have illegally beached 16 toxic ships for scrapping on the Chittagong coast last month according to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a global coalition of environmental, human and labour rights non-governmental organisations working for safe and clean ship recycling. «It is a clear violation of the 2009 High Court order that stated that no ship could be beached without an environmental clearance certificate that guarantees that they are free of all in-built toxic materials» explains Rizwana Hasan, Goldman Prize winner and Exectutive Director of Platform member, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Asssoication (BELA). Shifts start at seven in the morning and go through till eleven at night with two hours in breaks. The work is done on or around the beach by unskilled laborers who travel from the poorest parts to work for a pittance, largely without any representation. No latrines or showers exist, and disease is rife. The sites see asbestos thrown freely about, the dust filling the air, the toxic smoke from metal cutting drifts amongst the workers. Heavy metals run freely into the sand along with the waste lubricants to wash out to sea. The Geneva based International Metalworkers Federation, who published an extensive survey in 2007 on working practices in the region, estimates that in Bangladesh a worker dies in the breaking yards every three weeks on average. Although there are safer and cleaner methods for recycling ships, cashbuyers continue to sell their vessels to the poorest countries of South Asia to gain maximum profit. © Maro Kouri 761 Bangladesh shipbreakers have illegally beached 16 toxic ships for scrapping on the Chittagong coast last month according to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a global coalition of environmental, human and labour rights non-governmental organisations working for safe and clean ship recycling. «It is a clear violation of the 2009 High Court order that stated that no ship could be beached without an environmental clearance certificate that guarantees that they are free of all in-built toxic materials» explains Rizwana Hasan, Goldman Prize winner and Exectutive Director of Platform member, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Asssoication (BELA). Shifts start at seven in the morning and go through till eleven at night with two hours in breaks. The work is done on or around the beach by unskilled laborers who travel from the poorest parts to work for a pittance, largely without any representation. No latrines or showers exist, and disease is rife. The sites see asbestos thrown freely about, the dust filling the air, the toxic smoke from metal cutting drifts amongst the workers. Heavy metals run freely into the sand along with the waste lubricants to wash out to sea. The Geneva based International Metalworkers Federation, who published an extensive survey in 2007 on working practices in the region, estimates that in Bangladesh a worker dies in the breaking yards every three weeks on average///Girl pray to the Hindu goddesses, in her hut at jele para fishing village © Maro Kouri 762 Bangladesh shipbreakers have illegally beached 16 toxic ships for scrapping on the Chittagong coast last month according to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a global coalition of environmental, human and labour rights non-governmental organisations working for safe and clean ship recycling. «It is a clear violation of the 2009 High Court order that stated that no ship could be beached without an environmental clearance certificate that guarantees that they are free of all in-built toxic materials» explains Rizwana Hasan, Goldman Prize winner and Exectutive Director of Platform member, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Asssoication (BELA). Shifts start at seven in the morning and go through till eleven at night with two hours in breaks. The work is done on or around the beach by unskilled laborers who travel from the poorest parts to work for a pittance, largely without any representation. No latrines or showers exist, and disease is rife. The sites see asbestos thrown freely about, the dust filling the air, the toxic smoke from metal cutting drifts amongst the workers. Heavy metals run freely into the sand along with the waste lubricants to wash out to sea. The Geneva based International Metalworkers Federation, who published an extensive survey in 2007 on working practices in the region, estimates that in Bangladesh a worker dies in the breaking yards every three weeks on average. Although there are safer and cleaner methods for recycling ships, cashbuyers continue to sell their vessels to the poorest countries of South Asia to gain maximum profit///fishing in the toxic sea near scrabs © Maro Kouri 763 Bangladesh shipbreakers have illegally beached 16 toxic ships for scrapping on the Chittagong coast last month according to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a global coalition of environmental, human and labour rights non-governmental organisations working for safe and clean ship recycling. «It is a clear violation of the 2009 High Court order that stated that no ship could be beached without an environmental clearance certificate that guarantees that they are free of all in-built toxic materials» explains Rizwana Hasan, Goldman Prize winner and Exectutive Director of Platform member, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Asssoication (BELA). Shifts start at seven in the morning and go through till eleven at night with two hours in breaks. The work is done on or around the beach by unskilled laborers who travel from the poorest parts to work for a pittance, largely without any representation. No latrines or showers exist, and disease is rife. The sites see asbestos thrown freely about, the dust filling the air, the toxic smoke from metal cutting drifts amongst the workers. Heavy metals run freely into the sand along with the waste lubricants to wash out to sea. The Geneva based International Metalworkers Federation, who published an extensive survey in 2007 on working practices in the region, estimates that in Bangladesh a worker dies in the breaking yards every three weeks on average///Fishing in the polluted sea near scraps. © Maro Kouri 764 Bangladesh shipbreakers have illegally beached 16 toxic ships for scrapping on the Chittagong coast last month according to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a global coalition of environmental, human and labour rights non-governmental organisations working for safe and clean ship recycling. «It is a clear violation of the 2009 High Court order that stated that no ship could be beached without an environmental clearance certificate that guarantees that they are free of all in-built toxic materials» explains Rizwana Hasan, Goldman Prize winner and Exectutive Director of Platform member, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Asssoication (BELA). Shifts start at seven in the morning and go through till eleven at night with two hours in breaks. The work is done on or around the beach by unskilled laborers who travel from the poorest parts to work for a pittance, largely without any representation. No latrines or showers exist, and disease is rife. The sites see asbestos thrown freely about, the dust filling the air, the toxic smoke from metal cutting drifts amongst the workers. Heavy metals run freely into the sand along with the waste lubricants to wash out to sea. The Geneva based International Metalworkers Federation, who published an extensive survey in 2007 on working practices in the region, estimates that in Bangladesh a worker dies in the breaking yards every three weeks on average. Although there are safer and cleaner methods for recycling ships, cashbuyers continue to sell their vessels to the poorest countries of South Asia to gain maximum profit. © Maro Kouri 765 Rizwana Hasan, Goldman Prize winner, advocate of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and Programs Director of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA). She has filed and advocated for the rights and interests of the landless, fishermen, farmers, and other affected communities in cases involving encroachment on public property; air, water, and soil pollution; compensation for land expropriation and other disruptive development initiatives. She also received the United Nations Environment Programme’s. «The free entrance to the ship is unacceptable because it is a clear violation of the 2009 High Court order that stated that no ship could be beached without an environmental clearance certificate that guarantees that they are free of all in-built toxic materials» she explains///Rizwana Hasan on a rickshaw in Dhaka © Maro Kouri 766 Bangladesh shipbreakers have illegally beached 16 toxic ships for scrapping on the Chittagong coast last month according to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a global coalition of environmental, human and labour rights non-governmental organisations working for safe and clean ship recycling. «It is a clear violation of the 2009 High Court order that stated that no ship could be beached without an environmental clearance certificate that guarantees that they are free of all in-built toxic materials» explains Rizwana Hasan, Goldman Prize winner and Exectutive Director of Platform member, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Asssoication (BELA). Shifts start at seven in the morning and go through till eleven at night with two hours in breaks. The work is done on or around the beach by unskilled laborers who travel from the poorest parts to work for a pittance, largely without any representation. No latrines or showers exist, and disease is rife. The sites see asbestos thrown freely about, the dust filling the air, the toxic smoke from metal cutting drifts amongst the workers. Heavy metals run freely into the sand along with the waste lubricants to wash out to sea. The Geneva based International Metalworkers Federation, who published an extensive survey in 2007 on working practices in the region, estimates that in Bangladesh a worker dies in the breaking yards every three weeks on average. Although there are safer and cleaner methods for recycling ships, cashbuyers continue to sell their vessels to the poorest countries of South Asia to gain maximum profit///Woman with a fishing net in the toxic polluted shipbreaking yard. © Maro Kouri
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