The Banshkhali power plant – SS Power I Limited – in Chattogram is expected to start producing electricity by the end of 2022. Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming visited the under-construction thermal plant Thursday in coastal upazila Banshkhali. Officials of the plant, developed as a joint venture with local partner S Alam Group, said one of the units of the under-construction 1320MW coal-fired power plant will be commissioned by December this year. The Chinese ambassador said many such power plants are being built with the help of Chinese people and Chinese teams: "And this is the second (power plant) that is going to be completed very soon (in Bangladesh)." "I've been to Payra, which is exactly the same size. And I'm glad that this one (Banshkhali power plant) is almost ready. Payra power plant, as far as I know, helped Bangladesh realise its 100 percent electrification target,” Ambassador Li said. "I'm sure that this one (Banshkhali) will enhance the 100 percent electrification of this country," he added. About the environmental concerns, Li Jiming said: "The plant is being constructed with state-of-the-art technology. I don't think there should be any environmental concern about this project." Being built on 606 acres of land in the Gandamara union of Banshkhali since 2015, the power plant near the Bay of Bengal is one of the most significant joint ventures between Bangladesh and China. "This project is going on smoothly, and the construction is on schedule, which is very important when it (the power plant) is put into operation, you will get profit from it," the Chinese envoy said. Also read: Power flow set up from Payra plant to Rampal sub-station

Some 63 prominent citizens of the country in a joint statement urged the government to take steps to stop the harassment of the workers of the Banshkhali coal-fired power plant in connection with the incident in which six workers were killed in police firing on April 17 this year. The statement was signed by advocate Sultana Kamal, Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, Khushi Kabir, Dr Hossain Zilllur Rahman, Badiul Alam Majumder, Prof Anu Mohammad, Syed Iftekharuzzaman, Syeda Rezwana Hasan and Dr Shahidul Alam, among others, alleging that the police, instead of conducting impartial and independent inquiry to the incident, arrested Engineer Shahnewaj Chowdhury from Gandamara area of Banshkhali on May 27 for his post on Facebook.  As a result, it said, nobody will dare to speak against any corruption and irregularities of the coal-fired power project. Through this Facebook post, Shahnewaj expressed his own opinion and urged the youths to play a role against the illegal activities and corruption which should not be deemed as a move to create anarchy or a stability, said the statement.  It mentioned a High Court bench on May 4 has ordered the authorities concerned to pay condensation of Tk 5 lakh to each of the victims and provide security and protection to the workers, families and locals of the Banshkhali power plant and not to harass them anyway. 

Police have arrested a high-ranking leader of Jamaat-e-Islami in Chattogram. Maulana Jahirul Islam is Jamaat-e-Islami’s Banshkhali upazila organisational secretary. He is also the former upazila chairman of Banshkhali. Sources told UNB that Maulana Jahirul was picked up by cops from his house in the Teri Bazar area under the jurisdiction of Kotwali police station around 11.30pm on Thursday. Chattogram district's additional police superintendent Afjarul Haque Tutul confirmed Maulana Jahirul's arrest on Friday. However, the reason behind Maulana Jahirul's arrest has not yet been disclosed by police. Jamayat leaders of south districts claimed that Maulana Jahirul was out on bail in the case of alleged vandalism in the district. However, Banshkhali police station’s Officer-in-Charge Shafiul Kabir said that he came to know about the Jamaat leader's arrest from social media posts.

The High court on Tuesday ordered the S Alam Group to pay Tk 5 lakh each to families of the seven men killed in police firing in Chattogram’s Banshkhali on April 17. Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Sardar Md Rashed Jahangir’s bench also issued a rule seeking an explanation why a judicial investigation should not be ordered into the incident. The order and ruling came after hearing on two writ petitions. Five workers were killed and over 30 injured as police opened fire on demonstrators demanding payment of dues as well as breaks for prayer/iftar during Ramadan. Also read: Govt announces compensation for Banshkhali victims Later, two more workers succumbed to their injuries. Police and the district administration formed two committees to investigate the incident. The court has ordered them to submit their reports within 45 days. S Alam group was ordered by the court to submit a report on actions taken for providing treatment and treatment expenses to the victims within 45 days. The High Court has also asked why Tk 3 crore to each family of the deceased and Tk 2 crore each to injured victims’ families should not be provided. Also read: 2500 sued over Banshkhali incident It also asked why the failure to take proper action and ensuring the safety of the victims’ families should not be declared illegal. Until now two cases have been filed, blaming the workers for the incident. The victims' families have not sought legal recourse yet.

A demand of Tk 50 lakh in compensation for the families of each worker killed in police firing at S Alam Group's coal-based power plant in Banshkhali has been raised by Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, trustee of Gonoshasthaya Kendra. Dr Zafarullah placed the demand in front of media while visiting the families of the killed workers on Sunday. Along with the compensation, Dr Zafarullah demanded employment for the family members of the victims. Also read: 2500 sued over Banshkhali incident He also demanded judicial investigation of the police firing incident at the under-construction power plant, owned by S Alam Group and a Chinese company in a joint venture. On April 17, five workers lost their lives and more 30 sustained injuries as police open fired on protesting workers. They were agitating for payment of dues as well as breaks for prayer/iftar during Ramadan. Later on April 21, another worker injured in the incident breathed his last in hospital. Also read: Banshkhali incident: SKOP demands judicial investigation Police and District administration have formed two probe bodies on this matter. Until now two cases have been filed in this connection, blaming the workers for the incident. Victims' families have not sought legal recourse

Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad (SKOP), a platform of over a dozen labour rights bodies, on Wednesday demanded judicial investigation into the killing of five workers of a coal-fired power plant at Banshkhali in Chattogram to ensure punishment  of those  responsible for the incident. It also demanded withdrawal of ‘false case’ to end harassment of workers, provide a good amount of compensation, arrangement for free treatment of the injured workers.   The federation staged a demonstration in front of the Jatiya Press Club to press home their demands at 11am on Wednesday, said a press release. SKOP joint coordinator and president of Bangladesh Trade Union Kendra Shahidullah Chowdhury presided over the programme, while SKOP leaders Jatiya Sramik Federation president Kamrul Ahsan, Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal president Anwar Hossain and Samajtantrik Sramik Front president Razekuzzaman Ratan and Jatiya Sramik Jote Bangladesh president Saifuzzaman Badsha, among others, spoke. Also read: Banshkhali incident: SKOP seeks exemplary punishment According to witnesses, the workers were demonstrating to meet their 10-point demand including payment of arrears and reducing the daily work hours to 4 on Friday and 8 on other days during Ramadan, they said. Though the authorities of the plant initially assured to accept their demands a day ago, they refused to meet these on the fateful day. Five workers were killed and over 50 others injured in an indiscriminate firing on the demonstration of workers, they claimed. Police can’t open fire indiscriminately unless the life-threatening risk is created, SKOP leaders  said.  Also read: 2500 sued over Banshkhali incident The SKOP leaders said it’ll have to look into the incident by a judicial body to unearth the true facts and identify the culprits. They also expressed grave concern for harassing workers by filing ‘false’ cases against several thousand workers. 

Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad (SKOP), a platform of over a dozen labour rights bodies, has demanded exemplary punishment to those responsible for the Banshkhali incident in which five workers of a coal-fired power plant were killed. The federation also demanded judicial investigation into the incident, providing proper compensations for the victims and ending harassment of workers. The demands came from a virtual meeting of SKOP held with its joint coordinator Shahidullah Chowdhury on Monday afternoon. SKOP also announced new programmes to press home their demands, said a press release on Tuesday. Also read: 2500 sued over Banshkhali incident SKOP leaders Mesbah Uddin Ahmed, Anwar Hossain, Razekuzzaman Ratan, Kamrul Ahsan, Chowdhury Ashikul Alam, Naimul Ahsan Jewel, Shakil Akter Chowdhury, Ripon Chowdhury, Shamim Ara, Ahsan Habib Bulbul, Abul Kalam Azad and Firoz Hossain, among others, spoke at the meeting. They said five workers were killed and over 50 others injured in a sudden and indiscriminate firing on agitating workers of the coal-fired power plant of S Alam Group who were demonstrating to press home their 10-point demand including payment of arrears and reducing the daily work hours to 8 during Ramadan. They demanded identifying those responsible and bringing them to book through investigation. They said it is essential to mete out exemplary punishment to everyone who is responsible for this killing in order to change the irresponsible and arrogant mindset developed among the government’s employees towards the working people who are real owners of the country. They said the district administration announced to provide nominal compensation and the superintendent of police blamed the workers. Also read: Police firing in Chattogram leaves five workers dead Terming the incident a cold-blooded killing, the SKOP leaders said the case was filed accusing the workers and villagers but those who opened fire were not arrested. SKOP will continue its programmes including demonstrations and rallies to ensure punishment to those responsible through a fair investigation. It will also place a memorandum before the Home Minister in this regard. SKOP will stage a demonstration in front of the Jatiya Press Club at 11am on Wednesday (April 21) to press home its demands over the Banshkhali incident. Besides, the federation of labour rights bodies decided to observe April 24 as the garment worker mourning day on Saturday next on a small scale maintaining health hygiene rules amid the Covid-19 lockdown in a bid to mark the eighth anniversary of the Rana Plaza tragedy. Moreover, SKOP has taken programmes to observe the International Workers’ Day on May 1 next.

Two cases have been filed against 2500 people in connection with the clash at a coal-based power plant in Banshkhali upazila of Chattogram that left five people dead on Saturday. Shafiul Kabir, officer-in-charge of Banshkhali Police Station, said two separate cases-one on behalf of the power plant authority and another by police – were filed with the police station on charge of obstructing police from performing duties on Saturday night. Some 2000-2500 unidentified people have been made accused in the two cases, said the OC. Five workers of a coal-based power plant of S Alam Group were shot to death and 25 others injured in a clash between police and workers over payment of their dues in Banshkhali upazila on Saturday. Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, Banshkhali Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), said police fired bullets on workers in self-defence as the workers went on rampage demanding payment of their dues. But the workers claimed that police opened fire on them during their peaceful demonstration. Workers said they were asking the authorities concerned to provide their salary regularly and set a new duty time for Ramadan. Also read: Police firing in Chattogram leaves five workers dead   Besides, the authorities were forcing them to work 10 hours instead of eight hours and  on Fridays. The workers also placed their 11-point demand to the authorities but they showed reluctant attitude towards their demand, forcing the workers to staged demonstrations, they claimed. “A tense situation was created between workers and the power plant authority over the salary and working hours. Local people also took part in Saturday 's demonstrations and set fire to vehicles and carried out vandalism that forced the law enforcers to take action,” said the UNO. Besides, local administration has formed a four-member probe committee while police formed a three-member committee over the incident. The power plant authorities have assured of providing Tk 3 lakh each to the families of the five deceased and Tk  50,000 each to the the injured victims.