Torun Khan
The company of the coal mining project in northern Bangladesh has promised to compensate people for loss of land and businesses and modernize the area.
One young women says the mine is a good idea because it will create new jobs and she would consider going to work for the mining company. A local politician, meanwhile, says the mine will be good for the region’s economy and should attract other companies to invest in the area. He adds that when farmers lose the use of the land, another job will be waiting for them in the mine.
But the mine will provide around 2,100 jobs whilst it is being constructed, and 1,100 long term positions. Gary Lye, chief executive of the mining company Asia Energy, says the region will be better off in the long term. “At the moment farmers in the area cannot afford to do what they are doing now. A fact of life is, the coal under the ground is worth much more to everybody than growing rice on the surface,” he says.
will bring $21bn to Bangladesh over 30 years and add one per cent to GDP Asia Energy study said. Apart from coal, the mine will also provide co-products such as kaolin, clay, sand, rock and aggregate, which can be put to productive use.
During the 30-year expected life span of the mine, the land will be re-filled as the open pit moves forward, and revert back to agricultural use. And a huge artificial lake will remain when the mine’s supply of coal has been exhausted. The company says the lake will be clean and could be used as a safe water supply or for irrigation and fishing.
As if to emphasise the energy problems facing the country, the electricity failed twice whilst Mr Lye was explaining his company’s plan and emergency generators had to be switched on.
Source: http://weeklyeconomictimes.com/news-details.php?recordID=4155
Date: 21 July 2009, Bangladesh
Coal News of Phulbari - Bangladesh 