Six rights organisations today served a contempt of court notice on S Aalm Group and Chattogram's Banshkhali police for filing a case under the Digital Security Act against a local engineer in violation of a High Court directive.

The organisations sent the notice to S Alam Group's Managing Director (MD) Mohammad Saiful Alam and officer-in-charge (OC) of Banshkhali Police Station Md Shafiqul Kabir, requesting them to withdraw the case filed against local engineer Shahnewaz Chowdhury by June 3.

The rights bodies said in the notice that a contempt of court petition will be moved before the HC against the MD of S Alam Group and OC of Banshkhali police facility if they don't withdraw the case against Shahnewaz by June 3.

The six organisations are--Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela); Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (Blast); Nijera Kori; Safety and Rights Society; Association for Land Reforms and Development (ALRD) and Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK).

They said in the contempt of court notice that following a writ petition filed by them, the HC on May 4 directed the authorities concerned of the government and S Alam Group to ensure that any labour or person in that area is not harassed.

But, defying the HC directive, chief coordinator of S Alam Group Faruk Ahmed has filed a case under the Digital Security Act with Banshkhali PS on May 27 against local engineer Shahnwaz Chowdhury which is tantamount to contempt of court, the organisations said in the notice.

They also requested S Alam Group and police to comply with the HC directives and not to harass any worker or person of the area in any manner.

Seven workers of SS Power Plant I, a joint venture involving S Alam Group, were killed and at least 19 other people were injured after police opened fire during a demonstration by workers on April 17 this year.