OUR CORRESPONDENT, Patuakhali

Equipment worth at least Tk 5 lakh has been stolen from the 1,320MW coal-based RNPL thermal power plant in Dhankhali village under Patuakhali’s Kalapara upazila.

The plant is ready for power generation.

Aminul Islam, deputy manager (admin) of the power plant, said a case has been filed accusing 34 named and 16 unnamed persons with Kalapara Police Station on January 12 in this connection.

Most of the accused are reportedly local activists of BNP and its affiliate bodies, and residents of Gilatola and Londa villages under the upazila, he said.

According to the case statement, on the night of January 9, the accused entered the power plant premises and stole copper wires, iron and steel goods, and different construction materials worth at least Tk 5 lakh.

They later stored the stolen items near Gilatola Bazar. The next morning, (January 10), while the goods were being smuggled in a truck, the power plant’s security personnel, with help of police, recovered five tonnes of goods worth around Tk 2.50 lakh. Abu

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