In Bangladesh, shipbuilding and repair yards operate largely by hand, relying on recycled materials sourced from Chittagong’s ship-breaking yards. Dismantled ships provide steel, engines, and other parts, fueling an industry known for its cost efficiency and resourcefulness. However, these practices often come with significant risks. Workers face precarious safety conditions, with limited protective equipment and exposure to hazardous materials like asbestos and oil residues. The labor-intensive nature of the work highlights their skill, yet wages remain low, and workplace accidents are common. Despite these challenges, this industry remains vital to Bangladesh’s economy, serving both domestic and international maritime needs.
Ship construction and repair in Bangladesh is done mainly by hand, using recycled old metal and parts from the ship-breaking yards in Chittagong. Shipyard workers in Kerinigong, Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 2014
Shipyard workers removing paint with a hammer from a cargo ship on the Buriganga river, Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 2014
Children carrying empty paint pots collected on the shipyards, Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 2014
Ferry boat construction with recycled steel from ship breaking yards, Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 2014
Removing old paint from the hull, Dhaka shipyards, Bangladesh, October 2014
Shipyards for construction of ferry boats, Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 2014
Ship builders, shipyards in Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 2014
Ship repair yards along the Buriganga river, Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 2014
Newly constructed boat ready to be launched in the Buriganga river, Dhaka ship construction yards, Bangladesh, October 2014
Shipyards along the Buriganga river in Kerenigong neighbourhood of Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 2014
Paint removers, shipyards of Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 2014
Shipyard owner and client watching the boat being pulled manually in the river. Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 2014
Shipyard worker, Kerenigong in Dhaka, May 2015
Shipyards along the Buriganga river in Kerenigong neighbourhood of Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 2014
Ship repair yards along the Buriganga river, Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 2014
Shipyards along the Buriganga river in Kerenigong neighbourhood of Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 2014
Shipyard workers removing manually old paint from the hull of a ferry boat, Dhaka shipyards, Bangladesh, October 2014
Shipyards for construction of ferry boats, Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 2014
Shipyard worker, Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 2014
Dhaka shipyards along the Buriganga river, Bangladesh, October 2014
Dhaka shipyards along the Buriganga river, Bangladesh, October 2014
Hammering off old paint for days before a fresh layer of paint, shipyards of Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 2014
Calibrating a propeller, Kerenigong Neighbourhood, Dhaka, October 2014
Kerenigong shipyards in Dhaka, Bangladesh, May 2015
Dhaka shipyards along the Buriganga river, Bangladesh, October 2014
Welder, Kerienigong shipyards, Dhaka, May 2015
Shipyard worker, Kerenigong in Dhaka, May 2015
Scrubbing old paint from the hull, Dhaka shipyards, Bangladesh, May 2015
Construction site for ferry boats using recycled parts from the ship-breaking yards. Dhaka ship building yards, Bangladesh, May 2015
Workshop for propellors, Kerenigong shipyards, Dhaka, Bangladesh, May 2015
Shipyard for fishing boat repair along the Karnaphuli river, Chittagong, Bangladesh, October 2014
