A Chinese worker has died while working underground at the Barapukuria Coal Mine in Parbatipur upazila of Dinajpur.
The deceased, identified as Xing Xiaojun, 43, was found unconscious beside the seal wall of Phase 1305 at the mine on Tuesday morning. He was rushed to Rangpur Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead.
Xing was employed in the mine's ventilation section.
Khan Md Zafar Sadik, general manager of the Mine Operation Department of Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Limited (BCMCL), confirmed the incident.
According to mine sources, Xing went underground around 11pm on Monday with two local colleagues to measure gas levels as part of their routine duties.
At one point, he assigned his colleagues to check gas levels in another area and went alone to the seal wall of Phase 1305 for the same task. He could not be traced afterwards.
Khan Md Zafar Sadik said Xing's colleagues alerted the surface control room at around 7am on Tuesday after he failed to return from underground even after his shift ended.
A mine rescue team later launched a search and found him unconscious beside the seal wall of Phase 1305. He was immediately taken to Rangpur Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Some mine workers suspect that a lack of oxygen underground may have caused his death. However, mine authorities have yet to establish the exact cause.
The body is currently being kept in the mortuary of Rangpur Medical College Hospital. The authorities are in contact with the consortium's office in China and the deceased's family regarding the matter.
The consortium is expected to arrange the funeral in accordance with its own procedures.
Abdul Wadud, officer-in-charge of Parbatipur Model Police Station, said an application was being sent for a post-mortem examination. An unnatural death case will also be filed over the incident.
