The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Local miners yesterday returned to their work after a three-day strike at the state-run Barapukuria coal field under Phulbari upazila in northern Dinajpur district.

The workers, who went on strike demanding a 90 per cent pay hike and shorter working hours, yesterday resumed production as the Barapukuria Coal Mining Co Ltd (BCMCL) met their demand.

It was, however, could not be ascertained as to how much of their wages was increased and working hours reduced by the coal mine management.

The miners were demanding a pay rise of more than 90 per cent and shorter working hours by 2 hours to 6 hours since October last year,

The BCMCL has started since mid-January coal extraction from the mine located nearly 340 kilometres north west of Dhaka. Talking to journalists after the resumption of mining, BCMCL Managing Director Abdul Aziz Khan said the workers were now satisfied as the company has fulfilled their basic demands.

He said at least 4,000 tonnes of coal could not be extracted from the mine due to the three-day strike. More than 700 local miners had stopped extraction of coal used to fire two coal-based power-plants with egawatts. However, no Chinese miners joined the work stoppage, Aziz Khan said.

BCMCL developed the coal field with technical assistance from Chinese coal firm China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC). Both firms extract more than 2,000 tonnes of coal every day.

Most of the country's five coal fields with around 2.55 billion tonnes of reserves are located in Dinajpur area.