The government aims to increase the number of green-certified ship recycling yards in Bangladesh to more than 100 from the existing 31, Industries, Commerce and Textiles and Jute Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir said on Monday.

“Several more yards are currently undergoing the process of obtaining green certification,” he said while addressing a workshop at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the capital.

The Ministry of Industries and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) jointly organised the workshop to discuss a feasibility study report on establishing a Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility (TSDF) under the “Bangladesh Safe and Environmentally Sound Ship Recycling Project.”

Muktadir said Bangladesh is one of the world's leading ship recycling countries and at one point surpassed India in terms of the tonnage of ships recycled.

“Although Bangladesh has fallen behind somewhat in recent times, its position in the global ship recycling industry remains significant,” he said.

He said the sector is an important source of employment and supplies scrap, a key raw material for the country's steel industry.

However, he stressed the need to develop the industry in a safe and environmentally responsible manner by complying with international conventions and environmental standards.

“Our goal is to make the industry more modern, safe and sustainable by complying with international conventions and environmental standards,” he said.

The minister called for technical and financial assistance to expand the number of green-certified yards to more than 100, alongside stronger enforcement of environmental standards.

He identified hazardous waste management as a major challenge for the industry, noting that dismantling large vessels generates hazardous materials that can threaten the environment and public health if not properly handled.

He said establishing a TSDF would enable the safe and scientific collection, storage, treatment and disposal of such waste.

The proposed facility could also handle hazardous waste from other sources, including industrial and electronic waste, he said.

According to the minister, such infrastructure would help Bangladesh align the ship recycling industry more closely with international environmental standards and strengthen its competitiveness in the global market.

He said coordinated efforts by the government, shipyard owners, relevant institutions and international partners could transform the sector into a safer, modern and sustainable industry.

Industries Secretary Abdun Naser Khan chaired the workshop.

State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shaikh Faridul Islam and Norwegian Ambassador to Bangladesh Hakon Arald Gulbrandsen also spoke at the event.

Sumiyuki Otsuki, an international expert from Japan Marine Science Company, presented the keynote paper.