Two Gaibandha families mourn as toxic gas leak at Chittagong shipbreaking yard claims lives of young workers
Photo Collected
GAIBANDHA: Two families in Gaibandha are mourning the deaths of their sons, who were among nine workers killed Friday following a toxic gas leak at a shipbreaking yard in Sitakunda, Chittagong. The incident occurred when a gas cylinder exploded while workers were dismantling a scrap vessel at the Ferdous Steel facility.
The victims from Gaibandha have been identified as 23-year-old Rana Mia from Pashchim Kuptala village and 23-year-old Khokon Mia from Kishamat Haldia village.
Harun-or-Rashid, the father of Rana Mia, a day laborer, expressed his profound grief as the family received his son’s body on Saturday. He lamented the loss of his son, stating that Rana had taken the job in hopes of alleviating the family’s financial hardships. Rana’s mother, Manowara Begum, remained inconsolable as neighbors gathered at their home to offer condolences.
Family members reported that Rana, who had completed his Higher Secondary Certificate in 2023, sought employment at the Chittagong shipyard due to a lack of local job opportunities. According to his older brother, Monarul Islam, Rana was scheduled to return home this weekend to sit for a government recruitment examination for an office assistant position at the Gaibandha Deputy Commissioner’s office on August 21. Monarul has demanded compensation from the shipyard authorities for the tragic loss.
In the nearby Upazila of Sundarganj, the family of Khokon Mia held his funeral service at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday after his body arrived by ambulance. Khokon, the youngest of three siblings, had been working at the shipyard for approximately six months to support his parents and his wife, who resides in Dhaka with their two-year-old child. His father, a tenant farmer, spoke of the insurmountable loss, stating that the family’s economic struggles were compounded by the death of their son, who had been a vital source of financial support.
The fatal incident in Sitakunda on Friday resulted in the deaths of nine workers, highlighting ongoing safety concerns within the shipbreaking industry. Local authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the gas leak and the explosion that claimed the lives of the young men.
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