Home ›› 31 Jan 2022 ›› Front
Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Limited (BCMCL) authorities suspended coal extraction work as at least 68 officials, including Chinese nationals, tested positive for Covid-19.
Confirming the matter, BCMCL Managing Director Md Kamruzzaman Khan said the operations of the coal mine were halted on January 27 as infections spread among the officials.
Thirty-two Chinese officials and 36 Bangladeshi officials, including the managing director, tested positive for coronavirus.
Besides, another 50 staff of the plant are showing symptoms similar to covid patients, he said.
The sudden suspension of coal extraction sparked fear of energy shortage for the Barapukuria Thermal Power Plant. The plant reportedly has 2.5 lakh tonnes of coal in reserve for emergency use.
BCMCL officials, however, said the ongoing situation will not affect the power plant’s operation.
Bangladesh reported 34 more Covid-linked deaths, the highest in four months, with 12,183 new cases in 24 hours till Sunday morning.
The daily positivity rate dropped to 28.33 per cent from Saturday’s 31.1 per cent after testing 43,006 samples during the period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services.
Located in Dinajpur, Barapukuria is the only coal mine in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Geological Survey discovered the coal deposit at shallow and mineable depth in 1985. But it was not until 2005 that an underground mine was established with China’s technical and financial assistance.
The main aim of the mine is to supply coal to the coal-fired Barapukuria power plant. Coal production continues till date to fuel the power plant. Since its inception in 2005 till May last year, 12 crore tonnes of coal was extracted from the mine.
