The Bangladesh Ship Recycling Board is finally opening its first dedicated office in Chattogram to lessen long-standing issues and administrative complexity in the shipbreaking sector.
The Board will formally start operating in the port city of Chattogram on Sunday, December 14. Owners of shipbreaking yards will therefore no longer have to travel to Dhaka in order to receive approvals.
Although the Board was formed in 2018 to oversee and develop the ship recycling industry, it remained virtually inactive for seven long years due to the absence of required manpower. However, the Board’s activities gained momentum in March this year with the appointment of a Director General and two Deputy Directors.
Since Sitakunda in Chattogram is the main hub of the shipbreaking industry, the authorities decided to establish the Board’s office in Chattogram instead of operating it from the Ministry of Industries in the capital. Until now, official activities were being conducted from a single room at the ministry.
The new office has been set up on the eighth floor of the newly constructed BSTI building adjacent to Jamboree Field in Agrabad, Chattogram city. Covering an area of approximately 18,000 square feet, the office will be formally inaugurated on Sunday morning.
Director General of the Ship Recycling Board, A. S. M. Shafiul Alam Talukder, said that the Secretary of the Ministry of Industries, Obaidur Rahman, will attend the inauguration ceremony as the chief guest.
The Director General further stated that once full operations begin from this office, at least 29 types of licenses, approvals, and renewals—including ship import, shipbreaking, and yard permissions will be processed directly from this office.
He said, “Previously, entrepreneurs had to go to Dhaka most of the time for these approvals. Now that will no longer be necessary.”
Industry stakeholders believe that the launch of this new office will reduce both time and costs for shipbreaking business operators. They hope the Board will function as a “one-stop service center,” accelerating licensing procedures and providing policy support for the orderly and sustainable development of the industry.
