Body formed to review draft coal policy

The Energy and Mineral resources division of the Ministry of Energy, Power and Mineral resources yesterday formed a committee headed by the division's secretary to review the draft coal policy and asked to submit a report on it in the shortest possible time.
The Energy and Mineral resources division for the first time formally held a meeting yesterday to discuss the coal issue, especially to fix the method of coal extraction from the country's five coal fields.
"We will submit our report within the shortest possible time as we are to look into the issue to make the draft more environment and business friendly in the greater national interest," Mohammad Mizbahuddin, secretary of the energy and mineral resources division, told BSS.
"The committee has been asked to make the draft policy concise from its huge size", a top official said adding that the meeting called for incorporating the Mines and Minerals Rule in the coal policy and make it 10 to 12 pages from the 42-page draft.
A high-powered committee, headed by former vice chancellor of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology Abdul Matin Patwari, prepared the draft coal policy and submitted it to the government in 2008.
The committee suggested a pilot project at Barapukuria to explore all ways and means for open pit mining.
The country has five coalmines with a reserve of about 4.5 billion tonnes, including 2 billion tonnes recoverable.
Prime Minister's Adviser Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury presided over the meeting while state minister for energy, power and mineral resources, state minister for land, managing director of Barapukuria Coal Mining Authority and senior officials of Petrobangla were present.