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Develop Phulbari coal mine to resolve power crisis

Chamber leaders urge govt

UNB, Dhaka
Business leaders of different chamber bodies of northern districts at a discussion at a city hotel yesterday urged the government to move to develop the Phulbari coal mine without any further delay.
They saw the huge coal reserve at the Phulbari coal mine as the only option now to deal with future energy crisis, particularly in power generation.
"We can easily produce 3.500MW of electricity from the coal to be extracted from the Phulbari mine," said Rangpur Chamber President Mostafa Azad Chowdhury, adding that as the country's gas reserve is depleting fast, coal is becoming the only option for power generation.
Greater Rangpur-Dinajpur Industry-Business Development Forum organised the discussion on 'Industrialisation in Rangpur-Dinajpur: Energy availability' at Sheraton Hotel with President of the forum Nazrul Islam in the chair.
Former. PDB member Fazlul . u <. — 1 1 J Ajl flUCltU 11/3 Haque presented a keynote paper on the topic.
Former lawmakers Mizanur Rahman Manu and Asaduzzaman Noor, leaders of eight chambers of the northern districts - Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Ni 1 phamari, Gaibandha, Panchaghar and Joypurhat — also spoke at the function.
The speakers, supporting the open pit mining at Phulbari coal mine as it provides more than 80 percent extraction of resources, urged the government to ensure proper compensation to those who would be affected by the development of the mine.
“The authorities concerned have to ensure that the affected people would be properly compensated and rehabilitated,” said former LGED chief engineer Monwar Hossain Chowdhury.
If the government fails to take the decision in proper time to extract coal from Phulbari mine, Bangladesh might lose the opportunity to use its coal, as there might be a bar on coal extraction worldwide in future, he added.
Former BGMEA president Tjpu Munshi expressed his frustration over the poor attention of the government to the development of mineral resources of the northern region.
He further said the people of the northern region should not be deprived of coal resources due to the antipathy by a section of people.
Forum leader MA Majid termed the opposition to coal extraction in Phulbari an international conspiracy.
Editor of the Bangladesh Observer Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury suggested that those who oppose open pit mining and those support open pit should sit together to reach a consensus through a logical debate.
Our Staff Correspondent adds: Different political and student organisations yesterday observed the second anniversary of the Phulbari Day.
On this day in 2006, seven people were killed as police open fired to the people of Phulbari and adjoining upazilas who joined a peaceful programme to lay siege the office of Asia Energy Corporation (AEC) in Phulbari.
The National Protection Committee for Oil, Gas Minerals and Port placed floral wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar commemorating the sacrifices of the martyrs of Phulbari movement, observed one-minute silence there and held a brief rally.
The leaders at the rally demanded the ousting of Asia Energy, banning export of coal, ensuring cent percent ownership
of people on the country's energy resources and implementation of Phulbari accord signed between the people of the area and the government.
Communist Party of Bangladesh, Workers Party of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal, Bangladesh Shamyabadi Dal, National Awami Party, Left Democratic Front, Democratic Left Alliance, Revolutionary Workers Party, Gano Shanghati Andolan, Bangladesh Paribesh Andolan, Bangladesh Jubo Union, Bangladesh Chhatra Union (BCU), Pragatisheel Chhatra Jote (PCJ), Samajtantrik Chhatra Front (SCF), Biplobi Chhatra Maitri, Green Voice and other organisations also placed wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar.
Meanwhile, PCJ, BCU and SCF held processions and rallies on the Dhaka University campus demanding the cancellation of the draft coal policy terming it antinational interest policy and implementation of the Phulbari accord.
Shangskritir Naya Shetu, a nonpolitical student organisation, also arranged a poster and paper clippings exhibition and staged a street drama at Ducsu premises.