IN THE SHIPYARDS OF DHAKA

A very large shipyard in Dhaka is located on the Buriganga River's banks, directly across Dhaka's old city.

- Josef Bürgi

The best way to reach the shipyard is to cross the Buriganga River at Sadarghat and use one of the many small wooden boats for only a few takas. The shipyard is accessible only with the necessary contacts.

It is very easy to look around and take photos here and there. The shipyard provides docks and equipment mainly for the repair and maintenance of large ships. However, workers in the shipyard also dismantle old ships and build new ships from scratch.

The work is very strenuous and is done under minimal safety precautions. Many professionals are working on construction sites. The pictures in the reportage show mainly painters painting the ships. The workers are very friendly and courteous. They always have a smile for the visitors around, and sometimes the ship owners or shipyard managers greet the visitors with a handshake. A walk through the shipyard is always accompanied by monotonous and incessant hammering. Countless workers with hammers remove rust and old paint from the ship hulls. The constant hustle and bustle of the shipyard include metal cutting, welding, and painting. But there are other facilities as well, such as foundries for the ship's propellers and workstations for servicing the ship's engines. And, of course, there are the huge winches used to pull the big ships out of the Buringanga River and into the docks.