Two cases filed over Bashkhali killings | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Thursday
July 10, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
THURSDAY, JULY 10, 2025
Two cases filed over Bashkhali killings

Bangladesh

 
18 April, 2021, 12:25 pm
Last modified: 19 April, 2021, 04:10 pm

Related News

  • Prime suspect in fatal Lohagara road crash that killed 11 arrested from Mirpur
  • Hanif Paribahan owner acquitted in ACC case
  • 16 BNP men sued over alleged attack on ex-MP AK Azad's Faridpur home
  • JaPa office vandalism: Court orders to file case against Nur, 104 others
  • Dispute between brothers behind rape of woman in Cumilla's Muradnagar: RAB

Two cases filed over Bashkhali killings

The Ain O Salish Kendra legal notice seeks Tk3cr compensation for family of each dead

 
18 April, 2021, 12:25 pm
Last modified: 19 April, 2021, 04:10 pm
File image of Banshkhali clash
File image of Banshkhali clash

Two cases have been filed against more than 2,500 people over the Saturday's clash at the Gandamara coal-fired power plant in Chattogram's Banshkhali upazila that left five workers dead. 

Police lodged a case against 2,500 unnamed people on allegations of attack and obstructing from performing duties. 

While the power plant's coordinator Faruk Ahmed filed another case against 70 people mentioning 22 names alleging vandalism, arson and attack. 

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

Shafiul Karim, officer-in-charge of Banshkhali Police Station confirmed the matter while talking to The Business Standard Sunday afternoon. 

Meanwhile, non-government human rights organisation Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) on the day served a legal notice, seeking Tk3 crore as compensation for families of each of the dead protesters killed in police firing at Bashkhali in Chattogram. 

The notice also seeks Tk2 crore as compensation for the family of each injured, legal action against those involved in the clash between police and workers; and safety assurance for the families of the victims. 

Supreme Court lawyer Syeda Nasreen served the notice on behalf of ASK. 

Home secretary, law secretary, industry secretary, commerce secretary and others concerned were made respondents to the notice. 

Advocate Md Shahinuzzaman, a prominent member of ASK, told the media that a writ petition will be filed in the High Court if legal action is not taken against those involved [in the killings] within seven days of receiving the notice, and necessary steps are not taken to pay compensation. 

Meanwhile, workers claimed that the deadly random police shootings on unarmed workers on Saturday morning took place when police tried to arrest some workers after a failed meeting to resolve the issue. 

The workers alleged that the 'police personnel' intentionally set fire to a car at the beginning of the clash. Then random shots were fired at the workers. 

However, the police denied the allegations and said they were trying to control the situation. 

According to the workers of the power plant, they had been staging demonstrations to press their 12-point demand including reduction of working hours for Iftar and Sehri in the month of Ramadan and payment of their due arrears and allowances before the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of the country's Muslim community.

Labourers of the plant alleged that the authorities did not accept any demand. In this situation, on Saturday (April 17) morning, the workers of the plant unanimously refrained from joining the work and started staging demonstrations. At 7:00am, five workers were called for a meeting to resolve the issue, but an hour later, the authorities denied complying with the workers' demands. 

The workers were later called for another meeting but refused to go. At that time, police tried to arrest some workers and forcibly take them to police camp, triggering a clash between the two groups. 

Kamrul Hasan, who is a shift in-charge at the power plant and was also shot by police, told The Business Standard, "There was no problem with our company. However, the neighbouring Chinese company Zhengjian has about 800 workers. Among them, only 200 got their salaries which triggered a movement among the workers. On Saturday morning, the workers started protesting again. During this time some workers were detained and clashes broke out. 

Random shots were fired 

Besides the Banashkhali coal power plant protesters shot dead by police, many officers of the plant were also injured. 

Eyewitnesses and injured victims alleged that random shots were fired during the clashes. For this reason, in addition to the workers protesting to press their demands, other workers, who were at a safe distance inside their houses, were also injured and killed in the firing. 

Engineer Murad Hossain joined the job only one month ago. He was staying in his room during the clash. But a sudden shot shattered the bone of his right hand. Murad Hossain is undergoing treatment at Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH). 

"I don't know why I was shot," he told TBS, adding the workers were protesting in the field. I was in my room. Suddenly a bullet hit my right hand." 

Similarly, three other officials were shot together from inside a same house near the protest ground. They are shift-in-charge Kamrul Hasan (25), Didar (24) and Azad (30). 

Kamrul said, "We were inside the room when I was shot. The bullet hit me in the leg after piercing through the tin-made wall of the house. The same bullet hit Didar in the leg again, after piercing through my leg muscle. Azad was also shot at the same time. In a word, random shots were being fired as if from all sides then." 

Qamrul claimed that apart from the police, outsiders also opened fire on the workers during the clash. "We think that to divert the situation, along with the police, outsiders also opened fire on workers. The police were 300 metres away from us where the fighting was going on at Bangla Living area on the plant premises. But we were shot just from outside the house. I was sitting at home and was shot in that condition," he clarified. 

Anwarul Haque, head professor of the surgery department at CMCH, said, "Thirteen injured people are being treated in the surgery department. Five of them are in critical condition. All of the injured were shot or splintered. However, it is not possible to say right now whether these shots are from shotguns or what. 

Police clashed with workers of the 1320 MW under construction power plant owned by S Alam Group and China-based Sepco Three at East Baraghona area of Gandamara Union of Banshkhali Upazila. 

At least five workers were killed in the police firing while at least 30-35 others including police were injured. The deceased were identified as Mahmud Hasan Rahat, 22, son of Farooq Ahmed of Kishoreganj; Roni Hossain, 23, son of Mohammad Aliullah of Chuadanga; Md Raihan, 19, son of Abdul Matin of Noakhali; Md Shuvo, 22, son of Md Nazrul; and Mahmud Reza, 19, son of Abu Siddiqui of East Baraghona in Banshkhali. 

Three police constables named Abdul Quader, Yasir Ahmed and Asaduzzaman were also injured in the clash. 

Mystery about power plant fire: 

Several vehicles were set on fire during the clash at the power plant. Police claimed that most of the workers' demands were accepted by the power plant authorities, but they suddenly became angry and attacked Chinese citizens and police, and set fire to vehicles. This led to bloody clashes.  

But the workers claimed that this incident of fire was planned; whose responsibility is now being imposed on the workers. 

However, the police alleged that the incident started by throwing brickbats by workers without provocation. Injured by the brickbats, some police members are taking treatment.  

Banshkhali Police Station Inspector (Investigation) Azizul Islam said, "The workers were protesting for multiple demands including salary increase. Upon receiving the information from the power station authorities, the police rushed to the spot to control the situation. The clashes started when the workers started throwing bricks. Police fired to bring the situation under control. " 

Meanwhile, the police administration thinks that a local 'vested quarter' is behind the involvement of the workers in the bloody conflict at the power plant. 

Chittagong Superintendent of Police SM Rashidul Haque said, "Some of the demands of the workers were met and most of them were accepted by the authorities." 

"But even after the demands were accepted, the situation was destabilized deliberately by some people. Attempts have been made to attack Chinese workers. Our police members have been attacked. At one point, in order to protect life and property of people, to protect the property of this plant, to protect the lives and property of Chinese citizens, the police took the legal action," he added.

Human Rights Foundation demands judicial investigation

Human Rights Forum Bangladesh (HRFB), meanwhile, strongly condemned the police firing at the workers' protest and demanded that legal action be taken against those involved through judicial investigation. The forum also demanded adequate compensation for the victims.

Top News

Banshkhali power plant / Banshkhali clash / Banshkhali power plant worker's protest / case

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • How S Alam’s Global Islami Bank cooked Tk2,259cr loss into Tk128cr profit
    How S Alam’s Global Islami Bank cooked Tk2,259cr loss into Tk128cr profit
  • Representational image. Photo: Collected
    35% tariff: Bangladesh, US 'agree on most issues' as first day of talks ends
  • Students sit for SSC exam at Motijheel Girls' High School on 10 April 2025. Photo: Mehedi Hasan/TBS
    SSC exam results out at 2pm today: Here's how you can check online and via SMS

MOST VIEWED

  • Graphics: TBS
    BB raises startup fund limit, drops upper age barrier
  • Workers pack undergarments at the packing section of a garment factory in Ashulia, on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, April 19, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Fatima Tuj Johora
    After US tariffs, jobs hang by a thread in Bangladesh's garments sector
  • Global Islami Bank rectifies 2023 figures, reports Tk2,259cr loss instead of Tk128cr profit
    Global Islami Bank rectifies 2023 figures, reports Tk2,259cr loss instead of Tk128cr profit
  • Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur. TBS Sketch
    Audit reports of most banks contain cooked up data: BB governor
  • File photo of containers at Chattogram port/TBS
    US buyers push Bangladeshi exporters to share extra tariff costs
  • CA orders law enforcers to complete all election preparations by December
    CA orders law enforcers to complete all election preparations by December

Related News

  • Prime suspect in fatal Lohagara road crash that killed 11 arrested from Mirpur
  • Hanif Paribahan owner acquitted in ACC case
  • 16 BNP men sued over alleged attack on ex-MP AK Azad's Faridpur home
  • JaPa office vandalism: Court orders to file case against Nur, 104 others
  • Dispute between brothers behind rape of woman in Cumilla's Muradnagar: RAB

Features

Women are forced to fish in saline waters every day, risking their health to provide for their families. Photo: TBS

How Mongla’s women are bearing the brunt of rising salinity

16h | Panorama
Dr Mostafa Abid Khan. Sketch: TBS

Actual impact will depend on how US retailers respond: Mostafa Abid Khan

2d | Economy
Thousands gather to form Bangla Blockade in mass show of support. Photo: TBS

Rebranding rebellion: Why ‘Bangla Blockade’ struck a chord

2d | Panorama
The Mitsubishi Xpander is built with families in mind, ready to handle the daily carpool, grocery runs, weekend getaways, and everything in between. PHOTO: Akif Hamid

Now made-in-Bangladesh: 2025 Mitsubishi Xpander

3d | Wheels

More Videos from TBS

Trump threatens to impose 50 percent tariffs on Brazil

Trump threatens to impose 50 percent tariffs on Brazil

50m | TBS World
Can India stop water flow to Pakistan?

Can India stop water flow to Pakistan?

1h | TBS World
SSC exam results are out today, results will be available via SMS

SSC exam results are out today, results will be available via SMS

2h | TBS Today
Leaked audio: Jinping thought Trump was crazy

Leaked audio: Jinping thought Trump was crazy

13h | TBS World
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net