The government plans to explore the controversial Phulbari Coal Mining Field using the open-pit method, 19 years after the Phulbari incident, which resulted in the deaths of five people.
“We have a plan to explore the potential of the coal field in consultation with experts,” said Mohammad Saiful Islam, Secretary of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, speaking to a small group of journalists on Tuesday.
He mentioned that the Barapukuria coal mine will reach the end of its operational life next year. “Therefore, we will need additional coal to run the low-cost power plants at Barapukuria, which are located near the mine,” he said.
He added that a German firm has already expressed interest in exploring the coal mine. “I can assure you that we will not allow any controversial company to operate the coalmine,” the secretary stated.
The government drafted a coal policy in 2010, but it has yet to be finalized due to ongoing debates over the open-pit versus underground mining methods.
According to the Geological Survey of Bangladesh (GSB), the estimated coal reserves in four coal fields—Jamalganj, Khalaspir, and Dighipara—are 7,231 million metric tonnes. However, GSB has yet to publish the reserve estimate for the Phulbari Coal Mine due to the significant controversy surrounding it, particularly following a local movement that resulted in the deaths of five local people.
The National Committee for Protection of Oil, Gas, Natural Resources, Power, and Port has demanded the eviction of Asia Energy, a subsidiary of GCM.
According to the controversial GCM Resources plc, the Phulbari coal resource is estimated at 572 million tonnes, located near the town of Phulbari in north-west Bangladesh.
The indigenous people of Phulbari have opposed the use of open-pit mining since August 26, 2006.
Currently, Bangladesh has a combined coal-based power generation capacity of 11,677 MW, compared to a total capacity of 26,525 MW. Most of the coal used for power generation is imported.
