Bela demands expulsion of 'toxic' ship
Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers' Association (Bela) has issued a legal notice to the authorities demanding immediate steps to expel MT Alpha Ship carrying toxic and harmful substances from the territorial waters of Bangladesh.
It also urged the authorities to take necessary steps so that the ship cannot be used for scrap in the country as it will have an adverse impact on the environment.
The notice was sent on April 27 to the secretaries to the ministries of environment and forest, shipping, industries, commerce and labour and employment, director general of Coast Guard, deputy commissioner of Chittagong, chairman of Chittagong Port Authority, president of Ship Breakers' Association and owner of National Steel.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Quoting a report of Greenpeace, an international environmental organisation, Bela said MT Alpha is one of the 50 contaminated ships in the world.
The ship has docked at the outer anchorage in Chittagong, said a Bela press release.