5 killed in clashes with police at power plant in Bangladesh

Dhaka, Apr 17 (EFE).- At least five people died and 11 others were injured on Saturday in clashes between workers at an under-construction power plant and the police in Chittagong district in southern Bangladesh.

The clashes occurred around midday when workers at a coal-fired power plant began a demonstration calling for a wage increase, Chittagong Police Superintendent Mohiuddin Mahmud told EFE.

Mahmud added that the clash left “several wounded”. Meanwhile Dr. Kaniz Fatema, on duty at the local hospital, told EFE that they have received four bodies with gunshot wounds.

“We received four dead bodies, all hit by a bullet. We also received 12 injured people. They were all referred to Chittagong Medical College Hospital,” she said.

Alauddin Talukder, an on-duty police officer at Chittagong Medical College Hospital, told EFE that one of the injured was declared dead after being brought to the hospital.

The power plant where the clash occurred is a joint venture of Bangladesh’s S Alam Group and the Chinese firms SEPCOIII Electric Power Construction Corporation and HTG Development Group.

The power plant faced public opposition since the beginning of the project in 2013 over concerns that it could lead to thousands getting displaced of people.

At least four people were killed and 30 others injured in April 2016 in clashes between the police and local residents opposing the construction of the power plant. EFE

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