Barapukuria miners continue strike for profit bonus
Bangladeshi miners at Barapukuria Coal Mine Company Ltd (BCMCL) continued their indefinite strike for the second consecutive day yesterday as the miners and BCMCL authorities could not reach any decision over profit bonus.
The agitating miners threatened to launch a tough movement if the authorities make any further delay in meeting their demand for equal distribution of profit bonus among the officials, staff and miners.
Sources said coal production dropped to 700 to 800 metric tons (MTs) against the average daily coal production of 3500 MTs after 1,100 Bangladeshi miners went on the strike from Monday night. However, BCMCL officials claimed that at least 2,500 MTs of coal were produced in last 24 hours as 400 people including 300 Chinese miners and experts are working round the clock to continue production.
Speaking at a rally outside the coal mine premises yesterday, they alleged that BCMCL authorities are intentionally delaying the issue of profit bonus distribution.
The miners alleged that BCMCL made a profit of about Tk 6,15,000,00 and distributed the amount among the officials and staff depriving the miners who are directly involved in coal extracting by going around 450 feet under the ground.
They said each miner would get Tk 51,000 if BCMCL distributes the profit equally among the officials, staff and miners. But they urged BCMCL authorities to give Tk 31,000 profit bonus to each miner, miners said.
A large number of police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and armed police personnel have been deployed in and around BCMCL area to prevent any untoward incident.
Contacted, BCMCL Managing Director Md Quamruzzaman said they offered agitating miners several times to solve the issue though discussion. But BCMCL Miners and Workers Union President Md Rabiul Islam and General Secretary Nur Islam outright dismissed coal production without all the 1,100 Bangladeshi miners.
Rabiul told The Daily Star that miners wanted to join their work but the BCMCL authorities have not yet take any decision regarding the demand of miners.
Sources said the Bangladeshi miners of BCMCL are now divided into two groups over the profit bonus issue.
BCMCL officials claimed that miners do not deserve the profit bonus, as they are not the direct employees of BCMCL according to their recruitment code.
On Monday, BCMCL officials offered the miners Tk 4,100 each as profit bonus to keep them away from any agitation, but the miners rejected the proposal, official sources said.
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