Siege to Barapukaria coal mine continues

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DINAJPUR, July 19 (bdnews24.com): Local people living around Barapukuria Coal Mine have laid siege to the mine since Monday morning demanding compensation for 2,600 buildings and establishments that they say have been affected by the mine's operations.
Around 3,000 angry residents from 11 villages adjoining the mine, armed with sticks and chanting slogans demanding compensation, started to demonstrate in front of the two entrances of the mine at around 11.30am.
They also blocked the roads and rail-tracks and cut off the coal supply belt heading to the nearby coal-run power plant.
A meeting in the afternoon between representatives of the demonstrators and additional police superintendent Hassan Mohammad Shawkat Ali and RAB-5 captain Ahsan failed to bring the siege to an end.
The demonstrators said while the mine authorities pay annual compensation for agricultural losses incurred, they do not compensate for damages to homes and buildings.
The convenor for the Committee to Protect Life and Property Ibrahim Khalil told bdnews24.com "An application was handed to the district's deputy commissioner Saturday demanding compensation for infrastructural damage.
"A copy of the same letter was given to the mine authorities Sunday."
However, managing director of the mining company Md Qamruzzaman said they had started paying compensation to the affected people Sunday.
"We are paying the affected people of the mine area of 646 acres around Barapukuria," he told bdnews24.com.
Additional police, led by the Upazila's executive officer (UNO) Mujibul Ferdous, have been deployed at both entrances to avoid any untoward incident.