15 Khalishpur jute workers acquitted

Fifteen people sued by a jute mill on charge of vandalism in 2007 were acquitted on Monday.
All the acquitted were causal workers of state-owned Platinum Jubilee Jute Mill (PJJM) at Khalishpur in Khulna city.
They were sued on February 13 of 2007 on charge of agitation against the management of the mill and vandalism demanding gate pass and other financial benefits.
Md Jahangir Hossain, who was general secretary of PJJM workers' union at that time, filed a case with Khalishpur police station as complainant.
In the case, he accused the 15 casual workers of resorting to vandalism at the administrative building and at residences of some mill officials.
The accused were arrested by police on the same day and later sent to jail through CMM Court without proper investigation into the allegations, said present CBA leader Zakir Hossain.
Later, on February 19 they were released on bail, he said.
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate M A Zahid acquitted all the 15 accused on Monday noon as neither the investigation officer S I Shah Alam nor the prosecution side could prove beyond doubt their involvement in vandalism.
SI Md Shah Alam of Khalishpur PS who investigated the case, said he had submitted the chargesheet on the basis of contents of the FIR.
The acquitted casual workers are Giasuddin, Noor Islam, Junu Mian, Nizamuddin, Miraj Sheikh, Babu Sheikh, Mizan, Nayan, Saddam, Manu, Zakir, Bhulu, Jobadia Begum, Mujibar Rahman and Jasim.
They were sued with false allegations with a view to foiling the agitation launched by casual workers to realise their demands for gate pass and other financial benefits, said Kauser Mridha, president of PJJM Workers Union.
All these casual workers have been financially crippled as trial of the case continued for long four years, Kauser Mridha said.
They are now badly in need of job and financial help, he added.