ACC summons 32 PetroBangla officials for quizzing

The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has summoned 32 officials of PetroBangla (Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation) for quizzing over the “disappearance of coal” from Barapukuria coalmine.

In two separate letters, ACC's Deputy Director and Investigation Officer Shamsul Alam has requested the Chairman of Petrobangla to take necessary steps to ensure their presence on August 16, August 28, August 29 and August 30, ACC's Public Relations Officer Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya told The Daily Star.

At a programme yesterday, ACC Chairman Iqbal Mahmood said the investigation of the case will be carried out promptly.

Responding to journalists' questions on whether the commission has found anyone's involvement in the scam, he said there is no scope to make any comment before completion of the investigation.

Earlier, the ACC issued restriction on Habib Uddin Ahmed, managing director of Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Ltd (BCMCL), and three others from leaving the country.

Around 1.42 lakh tonnes of coal, worth over Tk 227 crore, reportedly went missing from BCMCL.

According to BCMCL officials, the company produced around 1.0166 crore tonnes of coal since 2005 till June 29 this year. Of which, 66.87 lakh tonnes of coal were supplied to BPDB while 33.19 lakh tonnes of coal were sold to different companies and brick-field operators.

According to the document, around 1.48 lakh tonnes of coal should be at the yard. But the ACC team, Petrobangla officials and visiting members of BPDB found only around 3,000 tonnes of coal there.

Power generation of Barapukuria Power Plant was suspended for an indefinite period on July 22 night due to the coal crisis.