BANGLADESH CHITTAGONG MADHOM BIBIR HAT OCT00 - Labourers carry up to half-ton metal plates on their bare shoulders. Due to the heaviness of the plates, they chant rythmic songs to harmonise breathing and walking, a technique already applied by slave-gangs several centuries ago...Several thousand labourers work on one medium-sized (50,000 ton) ship for a period of around three months, until it is completely dismantled and taken apart. ..Since Bangladesh does not possess mineral resources such as iron ore, it works out more cost-efficient to employ a large army of day-labourers to recycle the scrapped ships rather than to import ore. On average, a labourer can expect to earn a little more than 1 US Dollar per day...jre/Photo by Jiri Rezac..© Jiri Rezac 2000..Contact: +44 (0) 7050 110 417.Mobile: +44 (0) 7801 337 683.Office: +44 (0) 20 8968 9635..Email: jiri@jirirezac.com.Web: www.jirirezac.com..© All images Jiri Rezac 2000 - All rights reserved.