The government has found the existing contractor, the China National Import and Export Corporation consortium, as the lone bidder for future coal extraction and management of the Barapukuria coalmine.

An official said that state owned Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Limited had floated international bid in December last year and extended bid submission deadline to have good response from prospective bidders.

But the Chinese consortium emerged as the lone bidder for management, production and maintenance of the Barapukuria coalmine much to the discomfort of the government.

A company insider said that CMC consortium had earlier sought extension of their contract but the BCMCL was not interested to extend it.

Md Kamruzzaman MD of BCMCL told the FE that "We have received a single bid from the Chinese consortium.” He said evaluation of the bid has already started.

The BCMCL has moved to appoint a contractor afresh keeping provision of higher wages for workers in a bid to discourage them from launching frequent demonstrations, said the company top executive.

Wrangling over the rate of workers' wages with the employers has very frequently sparked demonstrations in the coalmine that led to work abstention by the employees since the start of mine operation in 2005.

If selected finally, the CMC consortium would require continuing operation on the fully mechanized long wall retreat pillar less system of mining, using multi-slicing extraction techniques with the production capacity of 1.0 million tonnes of coal per year.

The contractor must have to maintain the minimum coal production not less than 1.0 million tonnes a year.

(Sourced from www.thefinancialexpress bd.com)