PM unhappy with Petrobangla report, orders fresh probe

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed the Energy Division to go for a detailed investigation into the disappearance of around 142,000 tonnes of coal from the Barapukuria Coal Mine.
"The Prime Minister was not satisfied with the probe committee report submitted by the State Minister Nasrul Hamid. She enquired about each and every detail of the report and directed the Energy Division to go for the detailed investigation," said a source in the ministry.
The Prime Minister also asked the Energy Division to take necessary action to restart the 525MW coal-fired power plant as soon as possible, the source told the Daily Observer on Thursday.
According to the directives, the Energy Division is planning to form a ministerial-level committee led by an Additional Secretary. The Energy Division has already taken a move to import coal from abroad to run the coal-fired power plant shortly.
The Power Division has formed a 12 member committee led by Additional Secretary (Development) to import coal to run the power plant. The committee will sit on Sunday to work out a plan in this regard, a Power Division source said.
"We will show 'zero tolerance' for the disappearance of 142,000 tonnes of coal," State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said.
Coal extraction     has remained suspended since June 16 due to machinery transfer. The coal-fired Barapukuria Thermal Power Plant stopped generating power from Sunday due to shortage of fuel from the mine.
It is clear that a section of insiders at the Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Limited (BCMCL) was behind the coal pilferage and they could not do so without any help from Petrobangla and Energy Division as they had assigned a huge number of people to monitor everything of the coal mine, the source added.
"They (officials of Petrobangla and Energy Division) sat on regular basis taking huge money in the name of Board Meetings over the last 13 years. It is clear that it was not a job of a singular person and that is why everyone should be accountable, especially Petrobangla," a senior official of the Energy Division said.
Meanwhile, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid submitted a probe report on the disappearance of around 142,000 tonnes of coal from the Barapukuria Coal Mine in Dinajpur to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday.
Even after that the Prime Minister, also the line Minister of the Energy Ministry, has ordered a full investigation into the issue.
Earlier, Petrobangla formed a three-member inquiry committee headed by Director (mining) Quamruzzaman.
A separate committee was also formed by the ACC to investigate the issue. The Barapukuria Coal Mine authority has also filed a case in connection with the coal pilferage.
State Minister Nasrul Hamid said Petrobangla had never made any inventory since the start of the Barapukuria Coal Mine operation and supply of the coal to the nearby Barapukuria Power Plant in 2006.
"It seems all officials at the Barapukuria Coal Mine are involved in such irregularities and corruption. Action will be taken as per the report against the persons involved in the wrongdoing," he told journalists at the Secretariat.