Dockyard worker maintaining ships on a pier in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Bangladesh is a maritime nation with a long history of shipbuilding dating back to the medieval era. Currently, the industry is experiencing rapid growth, especially in the domestic market for small and medium vessels. Over 150,000 workers are employed in this sector, and two million people are connected to the shipbuilding industry. All inland and coastal ships are constructed and repaired locally in Bangladeshi shipyards.