Human Rights Forum Bangladesh (HRFB), a platform of 20 rights and development organisations, on Sunday demanded a judicial probe into deaths of five workers in police firing during a clash at Banshkhali upazila of Chattogram on Saturday.
The platform of rights watchdogs demanded legal action against the perpetrators and compensation for victims of this incident.
HRFB coordinator Tamanna Haque Riti sent the statement in this regard to the press on Sunday.
“Five workers died when police opened fire on their agitation for some logical demands including salary, bonus and duty shifts. Apart from deaths, 30 workers were also wounded. Opening fire on a peaceful agitation of workers is an extreme violation of fundamental human rights,” the statement said.
The statement also reads, “Right to assemble, hold peaceful demonstration etc are explicitly acknowledged in the country’s constitution and human rights declarations. At the same time, labourers are going through different types of bad patches during the pandemic. Nevertheless, the S Alam Group, one of the owners of the power plant, must be held accountable over their unpaid salaries.”
At least five people were killed and 25 others injured as workers of clashed with police at a coal power plant in Chattogram's Banshkhali area at noon on Saturday.
The power plant is a joint venture of Bangladesh's S Alam Group and the Chinese firms SEPCOIII Electric Power Construction Corporation and HTG Development Group.
S Alam Group has 70 per cent stake in the 1,224-megawatt power plant while SEPCOIII Electric Power Construction Corporation and HTG Development Group - have 20 per cent and 10 per cent stakes respectively.
