A CHINESE worker, who was injured in a clash over the death of a worker at Payra 1320 MW Thermal Power Plant in Kalapara Upazila on Tuesday, died at Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital on Wednesday. The deceased is Jung Yung Sung, an employee of the power plant. Factory workers said Sabindra Das, 32, son of Nagendra Das of Nabiganj Upazila in Habiganj district, was killed as he fell into a boiler of the plant on Tuesday afternoon, as per media reports.
As the news spread around, Bangladeshi workers of the plant burst into anger and vandalised its office, canteen and training centre inside the power plant. They also confined the employees and staff of Bangladesh-China Power Company Limited (BCPCL) including 3000 Chinese workers to the power plant for eight hours from 3pm on Tuesday. Six Chinese workers who suffered injuries during the unrest were sent to Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital where Jung Yung succumbed to his injuries around 10am on Wednesday, said Bakir Hossain, a physician of the hospital.
There must be a proper investigation into the plant boiler incident to figure out why Mr. Das could fall into a boiler. As it’s an under construction plant it’s entirely possible that workplace health and safety measures were not adequately followed thus causing immense resentment among the workers who retaliated emotionally and attacked the people who they saw as the main cause of the safety accident.
The ILO estimates that over 11,000 workers suffer fatal accidents and a further 24,500 die from work related diseases across all sectors each year in Bangladesh. It is also estimated that a further 8 million workers suffer injuries at work – many of which result in permanent disability. Since there is no real database these may be mere conjecture but they have some basis in reality.
There may be another reason that is to be found out by the investigators whether mutual relations between the local and foreign workers were deteriorating. Whatever the cause of the situation it must be thoroughly investigated as the death of a Chinese national has also occurred–a nation which is friendly to Bangladesh. Steps to prevent the recurrence of such actions must be taken.
