No output in yr

Madhyapara Granite Mining Company Ltd (MGMCL), a subsidiary of Petrobangla, has kept operations suspended in the country's lone underground rock mine for the longest period since rock extraction began in May 2007, due to shortage of equipment.

Rock production of the mine in Parbatipur upazila of Dinajpur remained suspended for nearly one year, causing a loss of around Tk 70 crore, a mine source said.

Germania Trest Consortium (GTC), a contracted company of MGMCL, suspended rock production on September 23 last year on the plea of shortage of equipment and machinery. GTC, in a letter issued in August last year, informed the mine authorities of their reluctance to carry on production.

MGMCL signed a contract in 2013 with GTC, a Belarus-based company, for rock production and maintenance of the mine.

MGMCL authorities opened a Letter of Credit (LC) of Tk 110 crore at the end of last year for importing necessary machinery and equipment. Equipment started arriving at the mine site from January this year, sources said.

Mine authorities urged GTC to restart mine development work as early as possible, but to no effect.

The authorities of Petrobangla, MGMCL and GTC held a meeting on July 31.

There Petrobangla chairman directed GTC authorities to resume production as early as possible.

A source in the mine, however, said GTC would miss the deadline, as they had four times since January this year.

Authorities of several mega projects, including Padma Bridge, Metro Rail and Karnaphuli Tunnel, agreed to use the rock from Madhyapara. But the company failed to supply the rock due to the prolonged suspension, said mine officials seeking anonymity.

This correspondent tried to contact Zabed Siddiqui, general manager of GTC, but could not as his mobile phone was switched off.