Energy & Power

Cover Report

Kansat Carnage

Rabiul Hasan
From Chapainawabganj

People of this land have glorious history of embracing martyrdom for language, independence and democracy. But for the first time, people laid down their lives for electricity. Perhaps, this is the only such precedent in the world history. The history was written by people of Kansat in Chapainawabganj district. At least nine people were killed and 300 others wounded in police firing on January 4 and 23.

Protests continued for over a week in 10 unions following the killings. The situation remained out of control of the administration. The administration also did not take proper steps although Sona Masjid, the second largest land port of the country, remained inoperative due to protests and barricades put up by the angry people.

Not only people of Chapainawabganj, but also of entire country was shocked and surprised at the bloody incident.

Why this Movement
A vast area of Chapainawabganj is under Rural Electrification Board (REB). Farmers of Barind area are totally dependent on the REB power for irrigation apart from domestic consumption. But the consumers got frustrated over corruption and poor condition of electricity supply.

At one stage, they started to get united and formed Pally Bidyut Unnayan Sangram Committee (PBUSC -- Rural electricity development action committee) under the leadership of Golam Rabbani. The committee formed about six months ago started holding small meetings. The first pubic meeting was held in Kansat on August 8 last year. The PBUSC from the meeting announced ultimatum for materializing its five-point demand.

The committee on December 28, 2005 at a press conference alleged that subscribers of the REB are being cheated in different ways. It also alleged that the Chapainawabganj Pally Bidyut Samity (PBS) has been illegally realizing Tk 2.36 crore every year in the name of meter fare and minimum charge. The PBS in Chapainawabganj every year realizes Tk 69.81 crore as meter fare and Tk 1.66 crore minimum charge.

Besides, the committee alleged: People don’t get connection if bribe is not paid. The meters are faulty; the meters move even if there is no supply. The clients do not get remedy despite lodging formal complaint. The PBS harassed its subscribers by filing a number of false cases.

The committee in the press conference announced that they will lay siege to Chapainawabganj PBS office on January 4, 2006 if the demands of withdrawing meter fare and minimum charge as well as ensuring uninterrupted power supply are not met.

January 4:
The PBS did not respond to the demands of the PBUSC. Thousands of people started to gather to make the siege program a success on January 4. In processions, they laid siege to the PBS office and kept it cordoned off almost the whole day.

As police fired indiscriminate shots on the protesters in the afternoon, two people died on the spot. They were identified as Nayan Karmakar, 24, son of Biswanath Karmakar of village Chakkarti and rickshaw van puller Abul Kashem Kajal, 35, son of day laborer Osman Ali of Abbas Bazar of Kansat. Also, at least 50 people were injured in the police firing.

Police Blamed for Deaths
The witnesses and protesters categorically blamed the police for the death of the two people. They alleged that after Nayan and Kajal received bullet wounds police dragged their bodies and took inside the PBS office. Locals said that Nayan and Kajal could have survived had they been given treatment in time. Police also admitted that Nayan and Kajal were under their custody for a long time after they were hit by bullets.

The families of the killed and villagers said that police had tried to take away the bodies. Journalists also found that police initially did not want to disclose the death news. At first police said that one person died in an accident. Police took the bodies to Chapainawabganj Sadar hospital in the dark of the night. The bodies remained in the morgue for 12 hours after the post-mortem.

The bodies were handed over to the families on January 5 night. The administration compelled the families to go for quick funeral disallowing many of their relatives to have a last glimpse of the dead.

Cases Filed
Two cases were filed showing Golam Rabbani and 3,000 people as accused over the incident. An AGM of the PBS filed a case bringing allegation of attacking the PBS office and damaging properties worth about Tk 50 lakh. Police filed the second case.

But the killing and cases could not stop the consumers of the REB to stop their movement. Rather, they started to be united again to launch a more aggressive movement.

January 23
The soil of Kansat was still soaked with blood of Nayan and Kajal. Police again fired on demonstrators killing seven people and injuring 300 others on January 23. The firing incident took place as people were protesting the arrest of PBUSC convener Golam Rabbani and two others the night before.

As the news of the arrest broke, hundreds of people since early morning put barricade on Chapainawabganj-Sona Masjid road and set fire to wooden poles of the REB. A series of clashes between police and demonstrators ensued when the law enforcers removed the barricade and resorted to baton charge to disperse the protesters.

The situation took a serious turn when policemen came under a total siege by the protesters at about 3pm. Police started indiscriminate firing. The protesters also set fire to five vehicles and a truck of policemen. At one stage, policemen fled from the scene continuing firing shots.

Identity of the Killed
The seven persons killed in the police firing were identified as Anwarul, 25, son of Fakasur of Colony Bazar area under Kansat union, Abdul Mannan, 35, son of Mosahaq of Shibnagar Kaitha Para, Anwar, 14, son of Jhantu of Shib Narayanpur, Daud Ali, son of Jarjis of Baluchar village, Nasir, 35, son of Nurul Islam of Lahapur Kharakpur under Mobarakpur union, Anarul, son of Idris Ali of Karnakhali and Kaimul Islam Garibullah, son of Nezamuddin of Kalabari.

Although the post-mortem is a must in such a case, all the bodies were buried without any autopsy.

House to House Police Action
Locals said police showed an intolerant attitude killing seven people and injuring scores of people on the day. They said police, being instigated by provocative speech of the police super, went for house to house action.

The policemen also beat up a number of women and people who were not in the demonstration in their houses. As a result, the protesters said, they pelted stones at the policemen.

People who had gathered at the house of rickshawpuller Anwarul described how the policemen resorted to baton charge on elderly people and children as well. “Police intruded into Kansat colony and charged baton indiscriminately. People became angry as many women were assaulted by the policemen,” said an eyewitness, Alauddin Mistry.

Jobeda, 35, alleged that a policeman pulled the scarf (urna) of her school-going daughter.

Sakhina, 45, wife of Ibrahim of Bahalabari in Kansat was beaten up by police who shot by at Saleha, 50, wife of Kutub Ali of Mollatola from a close range. Saleha was fortunate that she is still alive but did not go to hospital fearing more police action.

Shahjahan, 35, showed his leg broken by stick of police.

Tuhin, a trader at Abbas Bazar, said there was no reason for police to go for action in the area which is three kilometers from the PBS office.

Jhallu, 50, alleged that police even did not spare the musallis who had come for Asr prayers on the day.

Rokeya of Pukuria village in an angry voice said police beat up her and other women when they were standing in front of their houses. “What kind of country this is! Our own policemen acted like occupation Pakistani forces.”

Elderly Sanwara Begum of Kansat Colony Para was beaten up by police at her home. Her son, Anwarul, had come to people to express his resentment. As he was leaving the area, police opened fire; he received bullet wounds.

Madrasha teacher Naimul Haq said: From elderly people we came to know about torture of the Pakistani forces. Police of an independent country did so by storming the houses and beating up innocent people.

Protest Allover
The people of Kansat reacted with more anger and went for an indefinite strike. The hartal continued until Golam Rabbani was released on January 31. They put up barricade and halted communications on Shibganj-Sona Masjid, Kansat-Bholahat, Kansat-Choudala. The barricade made the Sona Masjid land port totally inoperative. Every day they are holding rallies and processions. The six-kilometer long procession on January 29, people said, was similar to that of Farakka long march of Maulana Bhasani.

Allegation of Torture on Rabbani
Family members of Golam Rabbani, who launched the unprecedented movement for electricity, and his associates were tortured in police custody.

Munsura Begum, 75, mother of Rabbani said: Why my son will be tortured? He is not a thief or a dacoit. Is it crime to raise demand for electricity?

At last Rabbani was released on January 31.

His return to home amidst a heroes’ reception indicates that the movement for electricity will not end immediately. Rather, there are chances to spread the movement in other parts of the country.