Bangladesh faces strike over coal mine deaths

DHAKA, Aug 28 (Reuters) Opposition parties in Bangladesh have called for a nationwide strike on Wednesday to protest against the deaths of six people when they tried to storm an office of a British coal miner.

Asia Energy wants to develop an open-pit mine at Phulbari in Dinajpur district, 350 km northwest of Dhaka.

Residents and rights groups say the mine would displace hundreds of families and damage the environment.

The six demonstrators died on Saturday when police opened fire on a crowd near the Asia Energy office.

''The casualties at Phulbari adds another black chapter to the country's history. We strongly condemn it and have called for the August 30 countrywide strike to voice our further protest,'' senior Awami League leader Tofayel Ahmed said today. Awami s the country's main opposition party.

Police said at least 120 people were injured in clashes at Phulbari over the past two days. The protesters have already enforced an indefinite strike from yesterday around the mining area and in nearby towns, local officials said.

In Dhaka, students staged demonstrations against the killings and called for a strike at schools and universities today.

Asia Energy intends to spend 3 billion dollars on the mine and a related power plant. Total investment over the mine's 30-year life is expected to total 10.4 billion dollars.

Gary Lye, chief executive officer of Asia Energy Corporation (Bangladesh) Pty Ltd, denied the Phulbari project would harm people or the environment.

Asia Energy said it had submitted development plans and a feasibility study and was awaiting final government authorisation to start mining.

State Minister for Home Affairs Lutufuzzaman Babar regretted the Phulbari killings and has ordered an investigation.

REUTERS SP RN1143