<i>Coal like thing being used as fuel</i>
Villagers collecting it from pond in Moulvibazar
Chunks of combustible hard substance resembling coal have been found while digging a pond at Nachni village on the bank of Akhalai River in Kulaura upazila under Moulvibazar district a couple of days ago. Photo: STAR
Coal like combustible things have been found during digging of a pond at Nachni village on the bank of Akhali River in Brahminbazar union of Kulaura upazila under the district, much to the enthusiasm of locals who are collecting it for using as fuel for cooking. Two months ago, Hazi Mansaf Miah engaged labourers to dig a pond in his land at Nachni village. On March 16, labourers informed him that coal-like things appeared in the mud that had been dumped and got dried in the sun on the bank of the pond, locals told this correspondent during his visit to the spot on Tuesday. People were seen collecting pieces of black earth to use it as fuel for cooking. The same day, Kulaura Assistant Commissioner (AC-Land) Md Shahidul Haque and Barhmin Bazar union parishad Chairman Md Rafique Ahmed visited the area and collected samples. "I collected 10 kg of these pieces of black earth and burnt it in my brick kiln. It seems it burns much better than the coal that I had purchased," Ramiz Uddin, a nephew of Mansaf Miah, said. "Tests are needed to ascertain the nature of the combustible things. It may be pit coal or pure coal, depending on hardness," said Professor Pulak Kanti Deb of Petroleum and Mining Department of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology. He suggested that the local administration send samples to Bangladesh Geological Survey Institute or Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration Company. "I have told Mansaf Miah's family to continue digging in his pond. If more coal is found, the samples will be sent for test," said Kulaura AC Shahidul Islam.
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