The government of Bangladesh will form a fresh review committee to evaluate the draft coal policy that was formulated by a high-level expert panel headed by a former BUET Vice-chancellor, as debates over mining methods went on.
Chief Advisor's Special Assistant for Power and Energy Ministry Dr. M Tamim today (Wednesday) disclosed the government plan.
If the government formed the committee, it would be the seventh one to review a draft coal policy.
The immediate-past BNP-led coalition government had first moved to formulate a coal policy more than two years back and some six committees had worked on the matter so far.
The special assistant to CA, however, did not make it clear as to what level--either at advisor level or secretary level--the new review committee would be formed.
He noted that, after evaluation by the new committee, the government would finalise the proposed coal policy within its own tenure.
The special assistant to CA was addressing a roundtable discussion on ‘Development of Bangladesh's Coal Sector: Strategy and Method’ at the CIRDAP auditorium in the
city.
Energy and Power magazine, in association with the UNDP, organised the function with journalist Farid Ahmed in the chair.
Dr. Tamim, a BUET petroleum engineering professor-turned caretaker government's functionary, said that it is imperative to take decision on coal extraction without wasting time.
He said the decision should be made considering the country's interest and energy needs, not thinking of any particular foreign company's matter.
"We'll take the decision considering whatever is good for the country. Then, if there is any foreign company, it has to match up with our policy.”
He said the mining method of a mine should be determined on the basis of the geological condition of the site.
The speakers at the roundtable locked in debate as to what kind of mining method-open pit or underground-should be better for Bangladesh to extract coal.
Dhaka University Geology professor Dr. Badrul Imam said that, considering the country’s vast population and environmental aspect, open-pit mining should
not be applied in the country to extract coal.
Opposing the idea, former PDB Chairman engineer Quamrul Islam Siddiqui said that the country should go for open-cast mining as it gives the optimum benefit from a mine.
He said there are available modern technologies in the world to deal with the environmental issues. And, similarly, a proper rehabilitation plan can address the concerns about the relocation of the local people.
Indian coal-mining expert Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya, who was the keynote speaker, said there are adverse effects in both kinds of mining techniques--underground and surface mining.
“Land subsiding is obvious in both the kind of mining. But in the surface mining, effects are immediately visible while in the underground mining it takes some time,” he said. “But surface mining gives optimum production of coal.”
Asia Energy Chief Gary N Lye, whose company has got its mining-project plan stuck up in the raging controversies, told the function that they have a plan to set up a 2000-MW power plant at the Phulbari coal-mining site to cater to the country’s electricity demand.
He said the coal sector in Bangladesh is now 28 years old, but it's true that it really hasn't delivered much coal. However, the problems of the coal sector are not in the "mines" but in the "minds" of men.
There has been a whirlpool of agenda and questionable decisions that have caused confusion, pain and lost opportunity, he observed.
He noted that the environmental and social issues for the Bangladesh coal-mines are also manageable.
The local community should take heart in the fact that the Government is about to adopt a National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Policy and Plan, he said.
This has been over 12 months in the making and is based on the highest international standards, the same standards followed by Asia Energy in its feasibility study for the Phulbari Coal Project.
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