At least 15 people, including a policeman, were injured as agitating miners and villagers affected by land subsidence around the coalmine clashed with the officials of Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Ltd (BCMCL) in Parbatipur upazila yesterday.

Four of the injured were admitted to Dinajpur M Abdur Rahim Medical College Hospital while the rest were treated at Phulbari and Parbatipur upazila health complexes.

The injured are BCMCL General Manager ABM Kamaruzzman, managers Sana Ullah, Hasan Imam, Sajiul Islam and Zahedur Rahman, assistant managers Kamol Mallik, Sazzad Hossain, Munshi Mia and Abu Sayem, coal trader Golam Mostafa,  Constable Shahinur Rahman and miners Rakib Hossain, Enamul Haque, Motaleb Hossain and Ayzar Rahman .

The clash took place when about 25 BCMCL officials allegedly attacked the agitating miners and villagers with sticks as the latter barred four officials of the company from entering the mine site around 9:00am that left five people injured, BCMCL Miners and Workers Union President Robiul Islam said.

Later, the miners and villagers jointly launched a counter attack and hurled brickbats that left 10 people including a policeman injured.

They also damaged the CCTV cameras at the entrance of the coalmine company, BCMCL GM (Admin) Masudur Rahman Howladar said.

Hearing the news, Parbatipur Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rehanul Haque and Assistant Superintendent of Police (Phulbari Circle) Rafiqul Islam went to the spot and started talks with BCMCL officials, agitating miners and villagers to settle the issue, but were yet to reach a solution as of filing of this report around 7:30pm.

Earlier, the miners and affected villagers jointly started an indefinite strike on Sunday to press for their 13-point and six-point demand respectively.

Among the demands, miners sought leave to enjoy government holidays and demanded their arrears while the villagers sought quick repair of roads and compensation to those who were affected by land subsidence around the coalmine area.