Six killed in protests over UK mining firm in Bangladesh (Natl Strike Wed)

[struggle4progress]

Randeep Ramesh, south Asia correspondent
Wednesday August 30, 2006
The Guardian

Bangladesh faces a nationwide strike today following the fatal shootings over the weekend of six people protesting against a $1.1bn (£700m) open-cast coal mine planned by a British company.

Paramilitary forces had allegedly fired into a crowd of 30,000 people who tried to storm the local offices of Asia Energy, a London-based mining company that owns the rights to 570m tonnes of coal in Bangladesh's Phulbari district.

Six died and 300 were injured in the violence. The deaths have led to days of rioting, which have seen roads barricaded with burning tyres and train services cancelled after rail lines were blocked with burning logs. Earlier this week people ransacked and torched the homes of Asia Energy's officials in the area ...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1860769,00.html

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