Published: 02:44 AM, 30 July 2018 Last Update: 02:54 AM, 30 July 2018
3 lakh tons coal stolen!
A view of Barapukuria coal mine in Dinajpur. - AA File Photo
Reportedly Ayub Khan, acting MD of BCMCL, is broadly affiliated with Jamaat
Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) earlier informed after inspecting Barapukuria coal mine that 1 lakh 44 thousand 644 tons of coal disappeared from the site.
However, local coal traders and contractors have said that the quantity of the stolen coal would be no less than 3 lakh tons which costs at least 500 crore taka. Reportedly since the beginning of coal extraction in Barapukuria during 2005, the amount of explored coal has never been appropriately calculated.
Coal only extracted by the Chinese technicians is quantified whereas there is no official record for dust coal and no ledger is there to register the money earned through the sale of dust coal, according to reliable sources. Thus the total quantity of coal which has vanished from Barapukuria is allegedly much higher than what was initially estimated.
Nevertheless, the case filed in connection with the coal racket states the theft of 1 lakh 44 thousand 644 tons coal. Energy experts have meanwhile said that Abul Mansur Md. Faizullah who is Chairman of both Petrobangla and Barapukuria Coal Mine Company Limited (BCMCL) cannot at all avoid responsibility for the coal scam. Demands have come from coal traders and petroleum analysts to get Abul Mansur Md. Faizullah thoroughly interrogated over this occurrence.
Allegedly Abul Mansur Md. Faizullah is widely associated with anti-liberation parties including Jamaat. Administrative sources have stated that Abul Mansur Md. Faizullah did not get promoted to the post of Secretary due to the allegations about his alliance with Jamaat which was mentioned in his annual confidential report (ACR).
Abul Mansur Md. Faizullah has appointed Ayub Khan, Director (Planning) of Petrobangla as acting Managing Director (MD) of BCMCL.
Political sources have complained that Ayub Khan is also broadly affiliated with Jamaat and other anti-independence wings.
According to sources from Chittagong, his two brothers' names are Tikka Khan and Monayem Khan and his father was a very close ally to executed war criminal Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury's father Fazlul Quader Chowdhury.
Moreover, Ayub Khan's father held a high post in the peace committee which was backed by Pakistan army in his locality while the Liberation War was going on during 1971.
A number of officials from Petrobangla have told The Asian Age on condition of anonymity that Ayub Khan is involved with an extensive scale of irregularities in the energy sector.
Sources from Barapukuria have informed that a great deal of coal is lifted at the water treatment plant of Barapukuria every year.
That coal is dried and kept on the coal mine yard but its quantity is not registered in written form. Sources close to the coal mine have reported that every year 16 to 20 thousand tons of coal was extracted through the water treatment plant.
This leads to a huge quantity of coal gathered since 2005 up to the present time. Some local contractors and businessmen have said that the senior officials of BCMCL have acquired a massive scale of illegal wealth by selling these coals to outsiders secretly during last many years.
ACC Deputy Director Benazir Ahmed said on July 23 that papers showed 1 lakh 46 thousand metric tons coal whereas in reality there were only 2 thousand metric tons coal approximately which means 1 lakh 44 thousand metric tons coal could not be traced.
Mashiur Rahman Bulbul is one of the coal traders living close to Barapukuria coal mine in Fulbari under Dinajpur district. He said, "Every year 16 to 20 thousand tons coal is lifted by the water treatment plant in Barapukuria coal mine but it is not recorded because the higher officials of the coal mine sell these coals unlawfully through corruption. These anomalies can be identified if properly inquired. The top most officials of the coal mine should be interrogated."
Another coal dealer Mizanur Rahman who is a former contractor of Barapukuria water treatment plant said, "The coal obtained at the water treatment plant was never cited in the official documents. Thus the officials connected with the scam could easily mishandle such a large amount of coal."
Another coal businessman at Barapukuria, who preferred not to be named by media, told that a contractor named Bhutto has been appointed for 16 lakh taka at Barapukuria water treatment plant for this year. 16 thousand tons coal which was found last year in the water treatment plant was sent to the coal yard, he added.
Anwar Hossain deals in coal dust and his office is located near Barapukuria. He said, "Several tons of coals were found in Barapukuria water treatment plant during last eight to nine years. These coals were not at all described in the accounts books. This is how the dishonest officials all the time sold these coals to black market."
Reporters from different media houses intended to speak to BCMCL officials on these allegations but they were not allowed to enter the coal mine premises. Even the cell phone of the Managing Director was switched off, a number of journalists have reported.
It may be added that following the coal scam in Barapukuria, BCMCL Managing Director Engineer Habib Uddin Ahmed was withdrawn from the site. Company Secretary & General Manager Abul Kashem Prodhania was transferred and another two officials were suspended.
BCMCL Manager (Administration) Mohammad Anisur Rahman lodged a case at Parbatipur police station on 24th July accusing 19 individuals including BCMCL Managing Director. Barapukuria power plant has been meanwhile shut down due to acute coal shortage after the coal racket.
---Fardaus Mobarok, AA
