A deadly night at sea: when dishonesty, legal gaps and unsafe practices cost workers' their lives

Eyewitness testimony from co-workers makes clear that this was a workplace accident. Several workers were deployed in small boats to guide and secure the ship KAshia's anchor as it was being beached in heavy fog and poor visibility. As the vessel veered off course, it struck the workers' boat. Two men were thrown into the sea and never returned alive. Their bodies were recovered hours later along the shoreline-one intact, the other dismembered by the ship's propeller.

Despite this, the yard owner initially attempted to deny responsibility, claiming the deaths resulted from a robbery attempt and an external attack. This account was contradicted by workers, union representatives and ultimately, by the owner's own actions. Compensation was paid to the families-an implicit acknowledgement that the deaths occurred in the course of work, not as a criminal incident unrelated to yard operations.

Thanks to the swift intervention of trade unions affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union, the families did not face this injustice alone. Union leaders challenged the employer's narrative, engaged with authorities and negotiated directly with management. As a result, both families received compensation of approximately 1.1 million BDT each (US$ 9 000). While this support is critical, no amount of money can replace a life lost and the compensation remains insufficient for families who have lost their primary breadwinners.

said Walton Pantland, IndustriALL director for shipbuilding and shipbreaking.

This case also exposes a dangerous legal gap. Night work in shipbreaking yards is widely recognized as unsafe and is restricted under existing regulations. However, current law in Bangladesh governs dismantling operations-not ship beaching. As a result, beaching vessels at night remains legal, even in conditions of poor visibility and extreme risk. This tragedy, highlights the urgent need to extend legal protections to all stages of ship recycling.

Ship recycling remains one of the most hazardous industrial sectors in the world. In Sitakunda alone, dozens of serious accidents occur every year, many resulting in amputations, permanent disability or death. When employers obscure the truth and exploit regulatory gaps, workers bear the cost with their lives.

Compensation after death is not justice. Justice means preventing such incidents from happening in the first place-by banning night-time beaching, enforcing strict safety standards, holding employers accountable and establishing long-term social protection systems so that families are not left without support when tragedy strikes.

Khalek and Saiful deserved safe working conditions and honesty from their employer. Their deaths must strengthen the call for reform, enforcement and dignity for all ship recycling workers.