Coal mining in Barapukuria resumes in full swing
Mining has been started in the Barapukuria coal mine in Dinajpur in three shifts a day.
About 2,731 tonnes of coal were extracted on the first day, said Barapukuria Coal Mine Managing Director Engineer Saiful Islam Sarkar Saturday (21 August).
The authorities hope that it will be possible to extract 3000-3500 tonnes of coal per day in three shifts.
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"Production started at this mine in one shift from 6pm on 6 August. After completing the maintenance, coal mining started in full swing in three shifts from Saturday morning," he told The Business Standard.
He noted that 293 locals and 300 Chinese workers are working in three shifts and the number of workers will be increased.
Coal mining in Barapukuria was stopped on 30 April due to the depletion of reserves from phase No. 1310. The phase was later declared abandoned.
After that, the authorities started the process of transferring the usable equipment from the abandoned phase and installing new ones to extract coal from phase No. 1306.
To deal with the national crisis, under the guidance of the Energy and Mineral Resources Department officials and Petrobangla Chairman, the development work of the new phase was completed quickly.
The authorities started the experimental production on 27 July by placing the equipment inside the mine base.
In the meantime, the mine workers were tested for Covid symptoms and 52 Chinese and Bangladeshi workers tested positive. Later on 30 July, the authorities stopped coal mining again.
