A total of 42,000 tonnes of coal worth of about 227 crore taka were found missing from Barapukuria mining yard of Dinajpur.
Two people including Barapukuria Coal Mining Company (BCMCL) Managing Director were withdrawn and two others were suspended. At the same time, a three-member committee has been constituted to investigate the allegation.
Two suspended persons - Barapukuria Coal Mining Company General Manager (Mine Operation) Nuruzzaman Chowdhury and deputy general manager (store) Khaledul Islam. At the same time, the Chief General Manager (Administration & Company Secretary), Abul Kashem Pradhania, has been transferred to Sirajganj West Zone Gas Company Limited. Engineer Habib Uddin Ahmed was removed from the management of the managing director of Parsi Mining, Petrobangla. He has been given the responsibility of Petrobangla director Ayub Khan.
The convener of the three-member investigation committee has been called on the Petrobangla director (Mine Operation) Kamruzzaman, the regulator of coal mine company, Kamruzzaman.
Barapukuria coal mine sources said that the yard currently has about one and a half million tonnes of coal. But there are only five to six thousand tons of coal. That is, there is no trace of 42 thousand tonnes of coal.
The source further said, on the way to close the Barapukuria thermal power plant due to lack of coal. The issue of coal disappearance comes out publicly when the electricity development board (PDB) informs Petrobangla.
Another source said that coal production has been stopped from July 15, due to the stock of mineral 1210 number ended. Currently, coal extraction activities are underway by installing fresh equipment for the 1314 number of mine. The company hopes to begin the withdrawal of coal from the end of this program in the month of August.
According to the source, till July 15, the coal mine authorities told the PDB several times that there is sufficient stock of coal. That is, there is no problem to start the coal-based Barapukuria thermal power plant. But suddenly, 3-4 days ago, the mine authorities told the PDB, coal reserves of coal yard near the end. Currently, one thousand metric tons of coal is being supplied from 8th in the thermal power plant at 525 MW capacity of 3 units. The thermal power plant is closed for an over-holding in 3 units and one more stop is due to the coal crisis. Currently the 3 units of the unit are producing 140 megawatt of electricity.
Manager of Barapukuria Thermal Power Station (Caretaker Engineer) Mahbubur Rahman said that on June 20, the Barapukuria mine authority showed the stock of 80 thousand metric tons of coal. Keeping in mind how the thermal power plant can be maintained, it is planned. But recently the authorities said that the yard reserves are nearing end and production is now closed.
Although the newly appointed managing director Ayub Khan was contacted, he refused to talk to the journalists.
However, outgoing Managing Director Engineer Habib Uddin Ahmed said that since 2005, a total of 20 lakh metric tons of coal was lifted. Coal is kept under the open sky. In it, the system was dry, dry in the sun, washed in the water, flies in the air, so much coal was destroyed in the soil. It has been reported to the board. The board is working on this. His claim, 'The allegations that have been raised can not be proved in any way. The investigation will come out of system losses.