The extraction of coal in Bangladesh has never gained momentum, as bureaucratic paperwork keeps piling up.
Whether it is open-pit or underground mining, files circulate between departments for years, but no project receives final approval, according to industry insiders.
Discussions with relevant stakeholders reveal a lack of interest in coal extraction.
Some allege that importing fuel brings immediate commissions, whereas extracting domestic resources does not. If the energy crisis were resolved through local coal extraction, fuel imports would no longer be necessary.
This is why the open-pit mining project in Barapukuria has been stalled for over a decade, they say.
Prof Badrul Imam believes Bangladesh should rely on its own coal instead of expensive imports.
He said continuously importing coal instead of utilizing our own resources was unjustified, calling on the authorities to assess the progress of existing mines and move forward immediately.
The expert noted that Barapukuria had been producing coal for years, but not in sufficient quantities.
“The northern and southern parts of the mine could be opened for extraction, and feasibility studies on other mines should be reviewed to initiate further projects.”
He said amid its energy crisis, Bangladesh should prioritize domestic gas and coal extraction over LNG and coal imports.
Decade of stalemate
A policy decision to develop an open-pit coal mine in Barapukuria was made a decade ago. The then-energy minister informed parliament of this initiative back then, but the feasibility study was only submitted in 2023.
Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Ltd proposed a "Techno-Economic Feasibility Study for Open-Pit Coal Mining in the Northern and Southern Part of Barapukuria Coal Basin, Parbatipur, Dinajpur, Bangladesh" and submitted it to the Energy and Mineral Resources Division via Petrobangla on January 29, 2023.
On June 20, 2023, a meeting chaired by the energy secretary instructed officials to assess the extent of land damage an open-pit mine would cause, by appointing consultants.
Eight months later, on February 14, 2024, the board of Barapukuria Coal Mining Company reviewed the matter but did not approve it.
Finally, after two more board meetings, the project received approval on May 8 last year.
However, as a state-owned company, board approval was not the final step. On June 24, Petrobangla approved the project and forwarded it to the Energy and Mineral Resources Division.
Now the fate of the project rests with the government. Unless there is political will, it will remain stalled.
Jamalganj coal mine project
A coal industry official said if two million tons of coal could be extracted annually from the Jamalganj coalfield, it could support a 1,200MW power plant.
The government proposed a project to explore this possibility five years ago.
However, initial studies have yet to be forwarded for ministerial approval.
Dighipara
The Dighipara coal reserve holds enough resources to generate at least 1,500MW of electricity daily, and the government has repeatedly expressed optimism about this potential.
According to Petrobangla, a feasibility study was completed on March 31, 2020 – five years ago. However, it took over two more years, until November 23, 2022, for a video presentation on developing the coalfield to be prepared and sent to the energy ministry.
This delay highlights the bureaucratic inertia, as even after completing the feasibility study, Petrobangla took two years to communicate its findings to the ministry.
On February 11, 2024, the energy division finally directed Barapukuria Coal Mining Company to implement longwall top coal caving (LTCC) mining at Dighipara, a technique that allows significant coal extraction from thick seams exceeding six meters.
However, since then no further progress has been made – another instance of Bangladesh's resource potential being held hostage by bureaucratic delays.
