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The KSRM Group has been accused of lying about the death of a worker in an accident at its shipbreaking yard in Chattogram.
Ariful Islam Sujan’s colleagues said he was killed after being hit by falling iron sheets on Feb 1. The autopsy report stated that he died of his injuries. But from the beginning, the company has been trying to establish that he had died of a heart attack.
Arif, 26, was working as a ‘cutter man’ at Kabir Steel Ship Recycling Facility Yard in Sonaichhari Union of Chattogram’s Sitakunda Upazila. He was a resident of Bar Aulia of Fultala village of the same union.
According to reports, he was mortally wounded at work on Jan 31. His colleagues took him to Chittagong Medical College Hospital, where the doctors pronounced him dead.
One of his colleagues said the shipbreaking yard authorities tried to divert the incident by spreading rumours that Arif had quit his job.
The police inquest report and medical report identified a fall from height as the reason for death. The autopsy report states that Arif died in an accident. He was hit by a heavy object and suffered severe injuries to different body parts.
Abdullah Al Sakib Mubarrat, deputy inspector general of the office of the Department of Factory and Establishment Inspection, said he too had mentioned accidental death in the investigation report.
“Two of his colleagues described him as falling ill and falling on iron,” Sakib mentioned.
A statement issued by the public relations wing of Kabir Steel Limited on Feb 8 said that the news about the death was misleading and that there was propaganda against the company.
It claimed that Arif started vomiting on the floor of cutting zone 3 of the yard at around 1pm on Feb 1 during tea recess. He was taken to the yard’s medical centre before being sent to CMCH.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Industries suspended all activities of KSRM Yard on Feb 14 following the worker’s death. The company has continued work, paying no heed to the ministry’s directive.
The ministry had formed a five-member committee to investigate the death.
A video of the alleged heart attack was shown when the investigation committee visited the accident site. An explanation by a lecturer of the forensic department of Chittagong Medical College has been submitted to the probe body, where the death of the worker has been misinterpreted, sources said.
But Dr Sumon Mutsaddi, the department head, said that he did not have the authority to speak to the media about the matter.
However, a forensic department teacher’s written statement on the incident has given rise to questions. Chittagong Medical College’s Principal Dr Shahena Akhter said the autopsy was conducted to determine the cause of death. The reason that will come up in the report has to be considered.
No other explanation or statement is to be accepted, she added.
Meanwhile, sources said the investigation committee had submitted its findings to the industries secretary without the signatures of all members.
Trade union leaders said they believe the report was made to divert the real cause of death. Mufidul Alam, director of the Chittagong office of the Department of Environment, a committee member, said that the investigation had been completed.
“I have not signed the final report yet,” said Mohammad Ali of the ship breaking trade union, also a member of the inquiry committee. “An iron sheet bruised Arif’s waist.
We have multiple pictures, but the yard owners have been trying to establish it as a normal death from the beginning.”
The probe committee convener and the industries secretary did not respond to requests for comments.
