Statement: 29 May 2021, Saturday
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At least 12 innocent workers and villagers were killed and more than 50 were seriously injured in police firing on 2016, 2017 and last April 17, 2021 to protect the vested interests of the controversial Banshkhali coal-fired power plant. Six among the 12 murdered were residents of Gandamara. While there is a demand from everywhere for an unbiased investigation of the shooting and for the perpetrators to be held for justice, instead of taking any action for that, the government is restricting the right of all, including the victims, to speak out. For posting on Facebook regarding the coal-fired power plant the Banshkhali police have arrested engineer Shahnewaz Chowdhury from Gandamara on the night of May 27, 2021 (Thursday). Consequently, no one would dare to speak out in future against any irregularities, corruption or mismanagement related to the project.
On May 27, 2021, Faruk Ahmed, the Chief Coordinator of Banshkhali Power Plant, filed the case under sections 25, 29 and 31 of the Digital Security Act, alleging "offensive and false disclosure, creating animosity, instability and chaos". Case No. 48/173. According to the statement of the case, Engineer Shahnawaz Ahmed, a resident of Gandamara, wrote in a Facebook post on May 26, 2021 at 3:00 pm: “Breaking News: The people of Banshkhali thought that the environmentally destructive coal power plant which already have killed 12 lives, would have made the Gandamara Union floating in the tide of development. But in reality, Gandamara is drowning in the tidal surge. The youth of Banshkhali should play a leading role against injustice and for development through fearless writing.”
“ব্রেকিং নিউজ : টুয়েল্ভ মার্ডারের (১২ খুনের) পরিবেশ বিধ্বংসী কয়লা বিদ্যুৎকেন্দ্রের কারণে বাঁশখালীর মানুষ মনে করেছিল, গন্ডামারা ইউনিয়ন উন্নয়নের জোয়ারে ভাসছে। আজ দেশের মানুষ প্রকৃতপক্ষে দেখতে পাচ্ছে, গণ্ডামারাবাসী জোয়ারের পানিতে হাবুডুবু খাচ্ছে। বাঁশখালীর তরুণ ও যুবসমাজকে সাহসী লেখনীর মাধ্যমে অন্যায়ের বিরুদ্ধে এবং উন্নয়নের পক্ষে অগ্রণী ভূমিকা রাখতে হবে নির্ভয়ে।”The text of Facebook posted by Engineer Shahnewaz
Through this post, Shahnawaz Ahmed has expressed his opinion on the project and called on the youth to take a stand against injustice through writing which is in no way an aggressive, false or unreasonable attempt to create unrest and chaos. There are enough reasons to believe that the Banshkhali police have arrested him on a baseless and contemptible case filed by a coal power project officer under the controversial sections of the Digital Security Act for the purpose of forcibly suppressing the dissent.
It is to be mentioned that on May 4, 2021, the High Court ordered to pay compensation of 5 lakh BDT to each of the victim’s family and to provide security and safety to the workers of Banshkhali Power Station, their families and locals and not to harass them in any way. The High Court order has been directly violated through this case and arrest.
We are seriously concerned that no impartial investigation and effective legal action has been taken in the incident of killing and injuring of villagers and workers by the police firing in Banshkhali, rather, the project owners and the police have filed cases accusing 3,562 unarmed workers and locals, creating opportunities for continued harassment. Besides, two cases filed in favor of the victims in 2016 have been quashed by the district judge's court due to the hostility of the administration.
Moreover, the report submitted by the Investigation Committee of the Police Department on May 19, 2021, does not mention the mismanagement and illegal actions of the project owners for the shooting and does not recommend identifying and punishing the police personnel responsible for that, rather linguistic distance, threats to the Chinese workers, mismanagement of the contractors, etc. have been dragged out in a highly irrelevant manner in order to divert incidents such as shooting and killing towards a different direction. We reject such investigation report and demand immediate cessation of all attacks, killings, arrests and torture using state forces for the benefit of the Banshkhali coal power project and its owners and demand exemplary legal action against all those who are responsible.
We fully support the rights of the people of Banshkhali to lives, livelihoods, property and environment and demand that,
- Respecting the order of the Hon'ble Court, the case filed in the name of Engineer Shahnewaz Ahmed should be immediately withdrawn and he should be released;
- Repeal oppressive and unconstitutional Digital Security Act 2018;
- Police members responsible for the April 17 shooting must be identified and brought to justice;
- A case must be filed on behalf of the victims in Banshkhali;
- The environmentally destructive Banshkhali coal-fired power plant must be scrapped and appropriate action must be taken against the mismanagement and illegal actions of the sponsor companies;
- Adequate compensation and rehabilitation of the dead and injured should be arranged.
Signatory:
- Advocate Sultana Kamal, former Adviser to the Caretaker Government and President, Bangladesh Poribesh Andolan (BAPA)
- Dr. Jafrullah Chowdhury, Trustee, Ganashasthya Kendra
- Khushi Kabir, Coordinator, Nijera Kori
- Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman, former Advisor to the Caretaker Government and Executive Chairperson, BRAC
- Ali Imam Majumder, former Cabinet Secretary, Government of Bangladesh
- Anu Muhammad, Professor, Department of Economics, Jahangirnagar University
- Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB)
- Advocated Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Chief Executive, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA)
- Shahidul Alam, Photographer
- Shaheen Anam, Executive Director, Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF)
- Barrister Sara Hossain, Lawyer, Supreme Court of Bangladesh
- Farah Kabir, Country Director Director, ActionAid Bangladesh
- Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua, Lawyer, Supreme Court of Bangladesh
- Badiul Alam Majumdar, Member Secretary, Shshashoner Janyo Nagorik (Shujan)
- Shireen Parveen Haque, Women's Rights Activist
- Shamsul Huda, Executive Director, Association for Land Reforms and Development (ALRD)
- Dr. Perween Hasan, Vice Chancellor, Central Women's University
- Dr. C.R Abrar, Former Professor, University of Dhaka
- Rahnuma Ahmed, Author
- Tanjim Uddin Khan, Department of International Relations, University of Dhaka
- Shapan Adnan, Professor, SOAS University of London, United Kingdom
- Dr. Asif Nazrul, Professor, Department of Law, University of Dhaka
- Zakir Hossain, Executive Director, Nagarik Udyog
- Dr. Elora Halim Chowdhury, Professor, Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies Department, University of Massachusetts
- Dr. Sayeed Ferdous, Department of Anthropology, Jahangirnagar University
- Dr. Naila Zaman Khan, Director, Bangladesh Protibondhi Foundation (BPF)
- Omar Tareq Chowdhury, Author and Translator
- Subrata Chowdhury, Lawyer, Bangladesh Supreme Court
- Robayet Ferdous, Department of Mass Communication & Journalism, University of Dhaka
- Dr. Nasrin Khandaker, Department of Anthropology, Jahangirnagar University
- Zobaida Nasrin, Teacher, Department of Anthropology, University of Dhaka
- Maidul Islam, Department of Sociology, University of Chittagong
- Dr. Sadaf Noor-E-Islam, Department of Anthropology, University of Chittagong
- Mirza Taslima Sultana, Professor, Department of Anthropology, Jahangirnagar University
- Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, Executive Director, Voices for Interactive Choices and Empowerment (VOICE)
- Sheikh Rokon, Secretary General, Riverine People
- Azfar Hussain, Teacher, Grand Valley State University, United States
- Gouranga Nandy, Journalist
- Dr. Kazi Jahed Iqbal, Lawyer, Supreme Court of Bangladesh
- Dr. Samina Luthfa, Department of Sociology, University of Dhaka
- Sharif Jamil, General Secretary, Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (BAPA)
- Rezaur Rahman Lenin, Author and Researcher
- Dr. Sayedia Gulrukh, Journalist
- Taslima Akhter, Photographer, Pathshala South Asian Media Institute
- Sayema Khatun, Teacher, Department of Anthropology, Jahangirnagar University
- Monwar Mostafa, Executive Director, Development Synergy Institute
- S.M. Nazer Hossain, Executive Director, ISDE-Bangladesh
- Shamsher Ali, Member, Life and Nature Safeguard Platform (LNSP)
- Zakir Hossain Khan, Executive Director, Change Initiative
- Anwar Hossain, Executive Director, Greenfield Livelihood and Services (GLS)
- Nina Goswami, Director Program, Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK)
- Arup Rahee, Author and Singer
- Dr. Maha Mirza, Independent Researcher
- Rushad Faridi, Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, University of Dhaka
- Firoz Ahmed, Political Activist, Ganasamhati Andolan
- M. Shamsuddoha, Executive Director, Center for Participatory Research & Development (CPRD)
- Aminuzzaman Milon, Executive Director, Bandhan
- Nurul Alam Masud, General Secretary, Khani-Bangladesh
- Nur Alam Sheikh, Member Secretary, Mongla Nagarik Samaj
- Advocate Abdullah Al Noman, Lawyer, Bangladesh Supreme Court
- Nafisa Tanjeem, Assistant Professor, Lesley University, United States
- Barkatullah Maruf, Author and Cultural Activist
- Sharowat Shamin, Assistant Professor, Department of Law, University of Dhaka
- Sekender Ali Mina, Executive Director, Safety and Rights Society (SRS)
- Soheil Zafar, Editor, Unmochan.com
- S.M. Touhidul Islam Shahazada, Executive Director, Prantojon
- Rashed Ripon, Director, Paribartan-Rajshahi
- Dina M. Siddiqi, Teacher, Liberal Studies, New York University
- Sohanur Rahman Sohan, Coordinator, Youthnet for Climate Justice
- Rozina Begum, Researcher
- Nasrin Siraj Annie, Researcher, Vrije Universtiteit, Amsterdam
- Hana Shams Ahmed, Coordinator, International Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission
- Muktasree Chakma, Executive Director, Supporting People and Rebuilding Communities (SPARC)
- Farjana Aktar Nibedita, Researcher
- Jannatul Mawa, Photographer
- Amal Akash, Artist and Cultural Activist
- Bithi Ghosh, Artist and Cultural Activist
- Tenku Mehedi, Cultural Activist
- Munem Wasif, Photographer
- Ritu Sattar, Theater Activist
- Mahbub Alam Prince, Development Activist
- Hasan Mehedi, Member Secretary, Bangladesh Working Group of External Debt (BWGED)
Translated by: Farjana Aktar Nibedita