Photograph and copyright, Brendan Corr, copyright 2006 Foreign Policy
The photograph above is one piece from a photo essay published in Foreign Policy Magazine more than three years ago. The work, as a whole, is no less a moving document today as the day it was first birthed into the world.
The ship breaking industry in Bangladesh employs hundreds of thousands of poor but proud Bangladeshis, who work in exploitive and environmentally harmful conditions. A recent ruling by the Bangladesh Supreme Court requires:
1) that uncertified ship-breaking operations close within two weeks;
2) Ship-breaking operations must obtain environmental certification before operating in Bangladesh;
3) Ships must be cleansed of all hazardous materials before entering the country
4) Ship-breaking operations must guarantee safe working conditions for workers
5) There must exist environmentally sound disposal plans for waste.
This is an important move. The state has sanctioned a call for social justice; the end game, however, is enforcement of the state and judicial sanction. Though a writ under law, I cannot foresee any credible enforcement of worker protection.