Chattogram Live: At least five workers were killed and 11 others received bullet injuries in a clash between police and workers at a coal-fired power plant of S Alam Group at Baraghona under Gandamara Union of Banshkhali in Chattogram on Saturday.

The deceased were identified as Ahmed Reza, Rony Hossain, Md Shuvo, Md Rahat, and Md Raihan, 19, son of Abdul Matin of Hatiya in Noakhali.

Four of the deceased died on the spot while Md Raihan died while undergoing treatment at Chattogram Medical College Hospital at about 1:20pm, assistant sub-inspector Md Alauddin Talukder of CMCH police outpost told New Age.

The injured workers are — Habib Ullah, 21, Md Rahat, 30, Md Mizan, 22, Md Murad, 25, Md Shakil, 23, Md Kamrul, 26, Masum Ahmed, 24, Aminul Hoque, 25, Md Didar, 23, Omar, 20, and Ovi, 22. They were undergoing treatment at different wards of Chattogram Medical College Hospital, said ASI Alauddin Talukder.

Three policemen — Yasir, 24, Abdul Kabir, 26, and Asaduzzaman, 23, of Gandamara police outpost, were also injured in the clash and admitted to CMCH at about 1:30pm, he added.

The bullet-hit bodies of Ahmed Reza, Rony Hossain, Md Shuvo, and Md Rahat were kept at Banshkhali Upazila Health Complex, Showgatul Islam, duty doctor of the health complex, told New Age.

Workers got engaged in the clash with police over several issues at the coal-fired power plant of S Alam Group, said local people.

The agitated workers set fire to several structures at S Alam coal-fired power plant, Md Azizul Islam, inspector (investigation) of Banshkhali police station, told New Age.

The workers staged a demonstration at the plant in the morning over several demands, including lessening two hours duty time during the Ramadan, the police officer said.

When the police tried to bring the situation under control, the workers attacked the police, the police officer claimed.

Several hundred workers of coal-fired power plant of S Alam Group left the work station with bag and baggage after the clash. The local workers blamed the Chinese officials and workers for the incident.

A worker named Md Sazzad, who also left the power plant after the clash, told New Age that Chinese officials insulted some of the Muslim workers on Friday evening as they demanded a break for iftar and maghrib prayer.

Later, the local workers staged a demonstration at the plant demanding that the authorities should reduce the working hours and give break for iftar and prayers.

The workers continued their demonstration on Saturday morning. Suddenly the police started charging baton on the workers, he said. Agitated workers hurled stones and brickbats at the police and later, the police opened fire on the workers, the witnesses claimed.

Another worker, Jahed Hossain, said that they managed to leave the power plant area after the police started opening fire on the workers; but many workers were still confined inside the factory.

Dhaka, 17 April (campuslive24.com)//BSC