Shooting five workers dead while they were demonstrating to press the demand of their due wages, allowances, and break for iftar and sehri at the coal-fired SS Power 1 Plant in Gandamara area of Chattogram’s Banskhali upazila on Saturday is unacceptable. Are these demands unreasonable? If not why did the five workers have to die for their rightful demands? Can shooting by any means be the only option to foil a protest of agitating workers?
According to a news report published in a national daily on Tuesday, police had fired 273 shotgun bullets, 62 Chinese bullets and four teargas shells during the demonstration by agitating workers. Around 6,000 workers are currently employed at the under construction 1,224-megawatt coal-fired power plant. The workers asked for their wages for the month of March so that they could support their families during this holy month of Ramzan.
The report said the workers gathered in front of the Gate 4 of the plant to stage the demonstration. They started pelting brickbats when the police responsible for the security of the plant tried to obstruct them. Police responded with gunfire, leaving the five workers dead and another 21 injured. However, police officials claimed that they opened fire to “save lives and properties.” But law enforcers could have dispersed the crowd by using batons and teargas or even additional policemen were deployed on the day. In that case, the casualties could have been avoided.
This is not the first incident of bloodshed in this power plant. In 2016, four locals were killed during a protest against land acquisition for the plant.
Human rights organisations have questioned the rationale for police firing. The authorities could have resolved the matter through negotiations, which they did not do. How can our workers survive if the salary of the previous month before Ramzan is not paid? Though the owner of S Alam Group has announced compensation of Tk 300,000 to each of the workers killed and Tk 50,000 to the injured ones, money does not compensate for killing people.
Many workers have reportedly left for their village homes as two cases have been filed against 3,500 unnamed workers — one by the police and another by the plant owner. The workers, who were supposed to seek justice for their fellow workers’ death, are instead fleeing to avert arrest.
Hold all concerned accountable and ensure punishment of those involved in the killing so that such uncalled for use of force does not recur.
