Banshkhali was unaware of rally ban

The locals of Banshkhali who joined the pre-scheduled anti-coal plant rally at Gondamara on Monday afternoon were not aware of the ban on gathering slapped by the administration only hours ago. They were also in the dark about the counter-rally announced for the same venue and time by the rival group that comprises members of the ruling party and some supporters of the proposed power plant. This is why they could not anticipate that the law enforcers might prevent them from gathering on the West Gondamara Primary School premises, and open fire causing massive casualties. Four people were killed by gunshots and over 30 others sustained injuries on that day after the law enforcers and the pro-coal plant supporters attacked them to foil the demonstration, witnesses say. The upazila administration claims that they imposed Section 144 in the morning and announced it through loudspeakers in the area. Locals, however, refuted the claim saying they did not hear any announcement. Local police claim that they were compelled to open fire as the protesters armed with local firearms and sharp weapons wanted to defy the ban and turned unruly against the law enforcers. But the deaths occurred due to gunfights among the two rival groups. The locals say that they announced the protest rally on Monday morning after learning that around seven of the protesters had been picked up by the police the previous night. Earlier some 30,000 protesters gathered at Gondamara and exchanged views with the representatives of the police and the administration on March 23. They demanded that the government shift the plant away from the crowded area as it would affect some 7,000 households and other establishments. Despite that, the pro-plant supporters went to the area on April 2 and subsequently faced resistance by the villagers. A case was filed over the protest the next day based on which the police detained seven people. Banshkhali lawmaker Mostafizur Rahman on Thursday blamed local BNP leader Liakat Ali, who is also the convenor of the anti-plant committee, for the clashes and deaths on Monday. He, however, declared Tk10 lakh compensation for each of the victims. During a visit to Banshkhali on Thursday and yesterday, the Dhaka Tribune reporters talked to several local people who alleged that the deaths and injuries could have been avoided had the authorities announced the ban. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Shamsuzzaman said they imposed the ban on gatherings fearing a clash since two rival groups had called rally at the same place and time. “I am not concerned over the coal-based power plant. I am responsible for maintaining law and order. The ban was imposed for three days and for this the villagers were alerted. But when they entered the village, tried to remove police barricades and attacked police, the law enforcers were compelled to open fire to save lives and properties,” the UNO said. But the villagers claimed that they only wanted to protest against the detention of seven people and had no idea about any rival group’s counter-rally. A shopkeeper near the school said that no protester was alerted about the ban. Section 144 was imposed when the protesters started to gather at the venue. Another villager said the protesters were angry seeing obstructions put up by the police. At that time, they threw bricks at the law enforcers for supporting the goons of the coal plant authorities. He said that the local administration had slapped the ban just after the clash only to save their face and justify the killings. Liakat Ali told the Dhaka Tribune that the UNO office had not informed the organisers about imposing the ban. “The local administration and the police are now spreading false information. The locals did not have any idea about it,” said BNP leader Liakat, who is also a former UP chairman of Gondamara. “We would have not joined the rally had they [administration] informed us about the ban,” said local madrasa teacher Md Nurul Kabir. Bodi Ahmed, who lost his brother and son-in-law on Monday, said: “The S Alam Group has engaged some brokers to force us to sell off our arable lands. To intimidate us, their goons picked up several protesters on Sunday night.” UNO Shamsuzzaman, however, claimed that the locals were telling lies about the ban. “However, we will not spare the perpetrators,” he said. “We were left with no other option but to open fire in self-defence. Hundreds of people armed with locally made firearms and sharp weapons swooped on us,” OC Swapan Kumar Majumder said. “People did not die in police firing. Rather they were killed during the gunfight between two rival groups,” he claimed.