Friendly Meeting with Workers: Promoting Rights, Welfare, and Dialogue in Bangladesh’s Shipbreaking Industry
The coastal belt of Sitakunda in Chattogram, Bangladesh, is home to the world’s second-largest shipbreaking industry, spanning approximately 18 kilometers. This sector provides direct and indirect employment to nearly one million people, making it a vital source of livelihood for the region. However, the industry is also fraught with numerous challenges related to worker safety, rights, and wellbeing.
As part of its ongoing commitment to sustainable and responsible ship recycling, YPSA’s Green Ship Recycling Project has been actively working to improve the conditions of shipbreaking workers through a range of interventions. These include raising awareness, providing training, promoting occupational health and safety, conducting research, and fostering cooperation between yard owners and workers.
One of the key components of this initiative is the organization of regular Friendly Meeting with Workers. These meetings serve as a platform where shipbreaking workers can openly discuss their concerns, share experiences, and advocate for their rights in a safe and supportive environment.
Meetings are held weekly at locations convenient to the workers—either within worker colonies or at the YPSA Safety Training and Information Centre. During these sessions, workers highlight a variety of issues they face in the yards, including:
- Termination of employment without prior notice
- Physical and verbal abuse by supervisors or management
- Inadequate or delayed wages and bonuses
- Lack of proper safety equipment and training
- Insufficient access to healthcare and other basic facilities
YPSA recognizes that workers are the backbone of the shipbreaking industry and firmly believes they deserve a safe, healthy, and dignified work environment. These meetings also create opportunities to build constructive dialogue between employers and employees, helping to address grievances and promote better labor practices across the sector.
To date December 2025, YPSA has organized 72 Friendly Meeting with Workers, engaging over 1,800 workers. This initiative has proven to be a powerful tool in amplifying workers’ voices, identifying gaps in policy and practice, and strengthening community support mechanisms. Expanding the reach of these meetings to include more workers across additional shipyards remains a key strategic goal of the project.
By fostering awareness, empowerment, and collaboration, YPSA continues its mission to ensure that shipbreaking workers are not only heard—but respected, protected, and supported.