Barapukuria plant shut amid missing coal puzzle

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Shanchita Shitu
Published : 23:56, Jul 22, 2018 | Updated : 19:02, Jul 23, 2018

Boropukuria plant shut amid missing coal puzzleElectricity generation has come to a halt at the Barapukuria coal-fired power plant after 130,000 tons of coal meant for the power plant disappeared.
The plant was shut at 10:20pm, PDB Member (Public Relation) Saiful Hasan Chowdury told Bangla Tribune.
The energy sector is rocked by the disappearance of coal worth Tk. 2.27 billion from the Barapukuria coal mine.
Relevant officials say it’s impossible to remove such a huge amount of coal in 1-2 years. There is a belief that several current and former officials are complicit.
PDB member, (distribution), Sayeed Ahmed, said earlier on Sunday that the power plant will be closed after midnight on 22 July.
In paper, the coal reserve is 140,000 tonnes, but in reality, around ten thousand tonnes have been found.
Questions have been raised over the missing 130,000 tonnes.
Mine officials say that coal from Boropukuria is sold in the open market and the figures may have been deliberately manipulated to show lower sales. On the other hand, the Chinese company could also have shown additional extraction without actually doing it in reality.
When PDB member Sayeed Ahmed discovered only ten thousand tonnes of coal during inspection, he said: “the mine power plant will shut down in a week.”
At that time, an investigation committee was formed.
Former MD of Boropukuria, Habibuddin Habib, said: “from 2005 till now, one crore 20 lakh tonens of coal was mined. A large amount was spoiled due to sun, rain and by mixing with the earth as it was kept under an open sky.”
A committee has been formed to investigate the accusations raised at Boropukuria; a report will be submitted within seven days, assured state minister for power, energy and mineral resources, Nasrul Hamid,
Anyone proved to be involved in some nefarious activity will be punished, the state minister confirmed
After the coal disappearance came to light, the MD of the mine, engineer Habibuddin Ahmed was attached to Petrobangla. Two persons were withdrawn and two temporarily suspended. The three-member probe committee has Petrobangla director (mine operations), Kamruzzaman as the convener.

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