The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The Barapukuria coal-mine area is feared to experience a major soil subsidence in its southern part as a big bang accompanied by a huge jolt scared local people Wednesday.

According to a report received here from the mine area, the villagers heard a loud bang with a huge jolt for a few seconds at about 9pm Wednesday at the Kalupara Bara Raipur Mouza of the coal-mine area. Even part of the area subsided slightly to about 1-1.5 feet.

Coal-mine experts say that the subsidence is an obvious incidence in any underground mining during coal extraction or after extraction.

They said when an area of a mine experiences subsidence, it becomes unsafe for living and normally that area turns into a pond.

The local residents got frightened with the unexpected huge bang and jerking, and many of them passed sleepless night.

Following the incident, top officials of the Barapuria coal mine visited the area this (Thursday) morning and briefed the local residents about the incident.

The Barapukuria coal mine is the country's only mine that was developed through underground mining method.

A Chinese company developed the mine with a depth of 350 metre and is now extracting about 2,500 tons coal a day.

A 250-MW power plant was set up adjacent to the mine to run it with the extracted coal.

A senior official of the Barapukuria coal mine told UNB that they feared that a major subsidence might occur anytime at the coal mine area, particularly on its southern part.

He mentioned that the mine was advanced about 500 metres towards the southern part under ground that is likely to have caused this subsidence.

He also said a similar incident was recorded last year on an area beside the Bara Rampur Mouza.