disappearance of coal

PMO probe team visits Barapukuria

The investigation team from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), which is probing the disappearance of a massive stockpile of coal, yesterday (Thursday) quizzed officials of the Barapukuria Coal Mine Company Limited (BCMCL). Headed by Khalilur Rahman, the director-general (administration) of the PMO, the team asked everyone the question: “How could this have happened?” “The investigation team asked us many questions, especially how could the stock go missing from the yards. Not only that, they asked about the audit system at the BCMCL at the end of the year,” said a BCMCL official yesterday. The team members themselves, however, did not make any comment to the journalists.

However, Dr Tawfique-e-Elahi Chowdhury, energy adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, did not visit BCMCL yesterday (Thursday) as scheduled. “We don’t know why he did not undertake the tour. Maybe he’ll visit the mine area later,” said a government official.

The PMO investigation team stayed at Dinajpur yesterday (Thursday) and could return to Dhaka today (Friday) if the investigation is completed.

“The team yesterday visited three yards at the BCMCL and took some evidence. Later they visited the coal-based power plant, which is very near the BCMCL site,” said a government official.

On 17 July, Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) detected the mysterious disappearance of 1.42 lakh tonnes of coal from the Barapukuria coal mine site. After a few days, the shortage of coal forced the Barapukuria thermal power

plant to shut down operations.

At present, BCMCL is recovering coal from the central part—an area covering 3 sq. km—of the mine. It has been able to extract only 10 million tonnes of coal of a total of 390 million tonnes of reserves since 2005. Though Bangladesh has five coalfields, it has developed only one mine so far, BCMCL.

disappearance of coal

PMO probe team visits Barapukuria

The investigation team from the Prime Ministers Office (PMO), which is probing the disappearance of a massive stockpile of coal, yesterday (Thursday) quizzed officials of the Barapukuria Coal Mine Company Limited (BCMCL). Headed by Khalilur Rahman, the director-general (administration) of the PMO, the team asked everyone the question: How could this have happened? The investigation team asked us many questions, especially how could the stock go missing from the yards. Not only that, they asked about the audit system at the BCMCL at the end of the year, said a BCMCL official yesterday. The team members themselves, however, did not make any comment to the journalists. However, Dr Tawfique-e-Elahi Chowdhury, energy adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, did not visit BCMCL yesterday (Thursday) as scheduled. We dont know why he did not undertake the tour. Maybe hell visit the mine area later, said a government official. The PMO investigation team stayed at Dinajpur yesterday (Thursday) and could return to Dhaka today (Friday) if the investigation is completed. The team yesterday visited three yards at the BCMCL and took some evidence. Later they visited the coal-based power plant, which is very near the BCMCL site, said a government official. On 17 July, Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) detected the mysterious disappearance of 1.42 lakh tonnes of coal from the Barapukuria coal mine site. After a few days, the shortage of coal forced the Barapukuria thermal power plant to shut down operations. At present, BCMCL is recovering coal from the central partan area covering 3 sq. kmof the mine. It has been able to extract only 10 million tonnes of coal of a total of 390 million tonnes of reserves since 2005. Though Bangladesh has five coalfields, it has developed only one mine so far, BCMCL.