The government has taken steps to simplify approval procedures and remove institutional bottlenecks in the shipbuilding and ship recycling sectors, Commerce and Industry Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir said on 6 October.
He spoke at a meeting of the committee reviewing laws, rules and policies for ship recycling, held at the Ministry of Commerce. Environment Minister Abdul Awal Mintu chaired the meeting, and Shipping State Minister Rajib Ahsan attended.
Key points discussed
- Processing clearances and file approvals from Chattogram to avoid delays of 45 to 60 days
- A one-stop service platform for ship recycling, on which a working group has started work
- Green yards under the Hong Kong Convention and decentralising Department of Environment clearances
- Financing challenges and complications from outstanding shipbuilding loans
Waste facility a sticking point
Mintu said the lack of a Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility (TSDF) for hazardous waste was making European ship-related parties hesitant to work with Bangladesh, and directed authorities to speed it up.
Muktadir said policies must be practical and enforceable, and that Bangladesh would prioritise implementing the Hong Kong Convention.
Source: The Business Standard.
Photo: কুপি বাতি / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
