Environment department slaps Tk 60 lakh fine on five shipyards

The Department of Environment (DoE) Chattogram today fined five shipbreakers around Tk 60 lakh for building vessels without complying with the conditions set out in the environment clearance.

The fine was imposed after a hearing at the DoE Chattogram's office in Khulshi area of the port city, our Chattogram correspondent reports.

The shipbreaking yards include Jiri Subedar Steel Re-rolling Mill, Ocean Ispat, HA Mannan Steel, Crystal Shippers Limited and SA Shipbreakers Limited. All are stationed in Sitakunda upazila.

Mohammad Moazzom Hossain, director of DoE Chattogram, told The Daily Star that the government leased the land to the yard owners for shipbreaking, but it was seen that they had also begun to build large ships, which was risky.

The DoE fined the five shipyard owners Tk 60,20,000 in total, he said.