Residents of villages near Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Limited (BCMCL) in Dinajpur's Parbatipur formed a human chain today to demand action over land subsidence affecting their lands.

They voiced four-point demands, including proper compensation and a survey of the affected lands.

The human chain, organised by the Jibon and Bosotbhita Rakkha Committee, a body of land subsidence-affected people of 12 villages, began around 11:00am in front of the BCMCL entrance gate.

Thousands of affected people joined the human chain, urging the BCMCL authorities to solve the problems.

At the programme, speakers said BCMCL started coal extraction in 2005, which has left people of the 12 villages to suffer.

The authorities detected land subsidence around the coalmine in 2006.

Although BCMCL has compensated for around 720 acres since 2012, many homes remain damaged and uninhabitable, they said.

Speakers at the event warned of tougher protests if a land survey does not commence by October 9.

Md Saiful Islam Sarkar, managing director of BCMCL, stated that a government plan to survey affected land is pending approval.