546,000t coal stolen from Barapukuria: CAB

The Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) has claimed that the actual quantity of coal stolen from the Barapukuria coal mine was 548,000 tonnes, which is higher than the amount estimated by the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC).

An investigation commission of CAB disclosed its finding at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) in the city on Tuesday, reports news agency UNB.

Earlier, the Energy Division admitted that it has got 144,000 tonnes of coal missing from its stock, prompting the ACC to file a lawsuit against 19 officials of Coal Mining Company and Petrobangla. The case is now pending for trial.

Head of the investigation commission Syed Abul Maksud read out the report while CAB adviser professor M Shamsul Alam, commission members professor Badrul Imam, professor MM Akash, professor Susanta Kumar Das, and member secretary architect Mobasher Hossain responded to various questions from the newsmen.

They said they have covered all the aspects of coal extraction and delivery during the period between 2005 and 2018.

The CAB investigation commission members also said they checked all the documents and found that aside from the previously identified 23 officials of Barapukuria Coal Mining Company, many officials of Petrobangla and Energy Division and that of state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) were involved in the pilferage.

The investigation commission said it is interesting that the government had signed contract with Chinese mine operating company fixing the moisture of coal at 2.3 per cent while the Coal Mining Company signed contract with its buyer BPDB fixing the moisture at 5.1 per cent.

While selling it to the BPDB, the moisture was fixed at 10 per cent, it said. Again, when the BPDB calculated this moisture, it fixed the rate at 15 per cent, the commission said.

So there is huge inconsistency in the coal trading and transactions and through this ‘unfair’ process and some 548,000 tonnes of coal was stolen in the last 13 years, it said.

They said this stolen coal was sold out to different private businessmen through receiving DO letters from different ministers and MPs.

“We’ve talked to the officials of Barapukuria Coal Mining Company and analysed all the relevant documents to prepare our reports and reached a conclusion about the amount of stolen coal,” said Syed Abul Maksud.

He said there must be an embargo on selling of coal to private parties through which a big scope is created for stealing coal.

Abul Maksud, however, said the investigation commission will submit its report to the government for taking action against the corrupt officials.

He said this is unfortunate that the government investigated and found 23 officials guilty and now it is trying to relive them from the charge.

Abul Maksud also said that the 79-page report of the commission will be available on the CAB website for public and anybody can go through the report.