Grameenphone, a unit of Telenor in Bangladesh, has filed a case against 29 former employees who have been protesting for the past two months, demanding reinstatement and other benefits.

The case was lodged by Moin Hossain at Vatara Police Station on Wednesday, with Officer-in-Charge Mazharul Islam receiving the complaint.

The accused include Abu Sadat Mohammad Shoaib, Md Mobasser Ahsan, Monowar Parvez, Arup Prasad Bhowmik, Md Zakir Hossain Chowdhury, BA Shamimul Haque, Shahriar Murtaza, Md Asaduzzaman Rana Faraji, SM Kamrul Hasan, Azharul Islam, Mohammad Khalid Hasan, Md Maksudul Islam, Md Sirajul Haque, Imran Hossain, Md Nasir Ahmed Chowdhury, Ramendra Sundar Devsharma, Soleiman Mehedi, Mahmudul Haque Shuvra, Mohammad Mashiur Rahman, Emdadul Haque, Md Meherul Islam, Md Shah Alam, Md Fazlul Karim, Md Sarwar Jahan, Afaz Abu Mustafa, Md Jahidur Rahman, Sufinaz Basita Aktar Suneeti, Fouziatun Nahar and Tasnuva Rahman.

At a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club on Wednesday, protesters denounced an unprovoked attack and the arrests made at GP House the previous day.

“We demonstrated at GP House on Tuesday against an unfair 5% late fine. Instead of addressing our concerns, Grameenphone management resorted to violence to suppress our movement,” said Abu Sadat Mohammad Shoaib, convener of the United Council of Grameenphone Workers for Employment Rights and Justice.

The protesters demanded the immediate release of the arrested individuals and medical treatment for the injured. They also urged society to speak out against what they called inhumane treatment by GP management.

The workers have been protesting against illegal deductions and the late fine since 25 February, planning to continue for 72 hours despite the imposition of Section 144. However, law enforcement, reportedly acting on behalf of Grameenphone management, used batons and tear gas to disperse them.

The crackdown left nearly 30 protesters injured, with 11 arrested and taken to Vatara Police Station. Several remain in critical condition, while detainees have allegedly been denied medical care and falsely implicated in cases.