The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) on Monday formed a committee to probe the coal disappearance issue, leading to forced closure of Barapukuria power plant.
The latest move comes after a team of the commission's Dinajpur office found primary signs of irregularities through a visit to the state-run Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Ltd (BCMCL).
Officials at the anti-graft watchdog confirmed the matter, saying that the three-member body was asked to submit its findings within 15 working days.
A few days earlier, the ministry of power, energy and mineral resources (MPEMR) had constituted another team to investigate how 142,000 tonnes of coal meant for the power plant got disappeared.
According to the current market price, a tonne of coal is selling at Tk 16,000.
This means the cost of missing coal is around Tk 2.27 billion.
When contacted, ACC spokesperson Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya said its deputy director Shamsul Alam will lead the team.
Two other members are -the commission's assistant director ASM Sajjad Hossain and deputy assistant director ASM Tajul Islam.
"They (team members) were asked to report their findings on the coal scam within the next 15 working days," he said.
Another team led by ACC deputy director Mohammad Benzir Ahmed of Dinajpur office visited the storage yard of the coal company.
ACC officials said that the team talked with the officials and employees of the company over the coal disappearance issue and found primary signs of corruption.
They, however, refused to divulge anything about such signs for the sake of investigation.
Seeking anonymity, an ACC official said they will check the documents of the storage yard soon and will also interrogate some officials and employees at various levels in connection with the vanishing of a large quantity of coal.
"It's a sensational case and we took it very seriously because the incident led to the shutdown of the power plant," he added.
Power generation of the Barapukuria coal-fired power plant having a total capacity of 525 megawatts (MW) remained suspended due to the lack of coal supply since Sunday night.
Because of the suspension of production, the country's northern districts are witnessing severe disruption in the electricity supply that is badly affecting economic activities there.
Soon after the scam came to light, five officials of the company, including its managing director and a general manager, were withdrawn and suspended.
Meanwhile, state minister for power, energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid assured all of resuming power production at the plant within a month.
The unfolding coal scam raised a matter of serious concern among the general people, who suggested taking strict actions against those who are involved in the crime.
Meanwhile, agencies add: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has ordered a full investigation into the disappearance of 116,000 tonnes of coal from the Barapukuria mine in Dinajpur.
Amidst intense discussions over the issue, Hasina went to the Secretariat on Monday and held a meeting with State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid Bipu, secretaries to related departments, Petrobangla Chairman Abul Mansur Md Faizullah and other relevant officials.
"The Prime Minister has ordered a complete investigation," Nasrul told reporters after the meeting.
"Because it (the misappropriation) had been happening since around 2005 the prime minister has asked us to let everyone know about this.
"She has asked all to have patience," he said.
Asked whether Hasina was angry about the issue, Nasrul said, "Of course. She is the minister for this division."
The state minister also said Petrobangla has already been ordered to start a case over the disappearance of the coal.
Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Managing Director Habib Uddin Ahmed and others have been accused of selling the coal for approximately Tk 2.0 billion through fraud, abuse of power and other illegal and corrupt means.
The coal-fired Barapukuria thermal power plant stopped generating power on Sunday due to a shortage of fuel from the mine.
Coal extraction has remained suspended since Junuary 16 due to machinery transfer, but mining will resume at the end of August, according to coalmine authorities.
jubairfe1980@gmail.com