Gas leak at Bangladesh shipbreaking yard kills eight

A toxic gas leak at a shipbreaking yard in Bangladesh claimed the lives of at least eight workers on Friday, with authorities searching for five others who are still missing, police announced. Eyewitnesses reported hearing screams inside the yard in Chittagong, the southeastern port city, before some victims were rushed to a hospital by workers.

Senior police official Abdul Kuddus Chowdhury confirmed the death toll and revealed that an investigation committee had been formed. The Ferdous Steel Shipbreaking Yard and Recycling Factory, which had previously received a green certification for compliance, was found to have violated safety procedures. Fire service official Towfiqul Islam Bhuiyan stated that the vessel should have been free of gas before cutting began, indicating that safety protocols were not followed.

Workers exposed to the gas died, while those farther away survived. Several other workers were found unconscious and taken to the hospital. The Ferdous yard, located along a 25-kilometer stretch of the Chittagong coast on the Bay of Bengal, is one of the world's largest shipbreaking hubs, employing tens of thousands of people. The shipbreaking industry in Bangladesh has faced criticism from labor and environmental groups regarding safety standards and working conditions. Among those killed was Palash Jaladas, whose pregnant wife, Bhoumika Jaladas, was inconsolable.