ড. তা রে ক শা ম সু র রে হ মা ন

গত ৩১ আগস্ট দুটি গুরুত্বপূর্ণ খবর ছাপা হয়েছে সংবাদপত্রে। প্রথমটিতে বলা হয়েছে, কয়লাভিত্তিক দুটি বিদ্যুত্ কেন্দ্র স্থাপনে বাংলাদেশ-ভারত সমঝোতা। আর দ্বিতীয়টিতে বলা হয়েছে, উন্মুক্ত পদ্ধতিতে কয়লা তোলার পক্ষে সংসদীয় কমিটি তার অভিমত দিয়েছে। বাংলাদেশে ক্রমবর্ধমান বিদ্যুত্ সঙ্কটের কারণে দুটি সংবাদই আমাদের জন্য অত্যন্ত গুরুত্বপূর্ণ। তবে সংবাদের পেছনেও সংবাদ থাকে। তাই প্রকাশিত দুটি সংবাদের পেছনেও যে আরও সংবাদ থাকবে, তা বলাইবাহুল্য। চট্টগ্রাম ও খুলনায় এক হাজার ৩২০ মেগাওয়াট বিদুত্ কেন্দ্র নির্মাণের ব্যাপারে চুক্তি স্বাক্ষর করেছে ভারতের রাষ্ট্রীয় মালিকানাধীন ন্যাশনাল থার্মাল পাওয়ার কর্পোরেশন (এনটিপিসি) ও বাংলাদেশ বিদ্যুত্ উন্নয়ন বোর্ড। এতে ব্যয় হবে ১৩ হাজার ২০০ কোটি ভারতীয় রুপি, যা কিনা বাংলাদেশী মুদ্রায় ২১ হাজার কোটি টাকার সমান। সমঝোতা স্মারক অনুযায়ী আমদানি করা কয়লা দিয়ে এই কেন্দ্র দুটিতে বিদ্যুত্ উত্পাদন হবে। বলা হচ্ছে, বাংলাদেশ ও ভারত সমান অংশীদারিত্বে বিদ্যুত্ কেন্দ্র দুটির ব্যয়ভার বহন করবে। চুক্তির বিস্তারিত আমরা জানি না। সংবাদপত্রে তা প্রকাশিতও হয়নি, তবে ভারতীয় কয়লা আমদানি কেন? আমাদের কি কয়লা সম্পদ নেই, যা দিয়ে আমরা বিদ্যুত্ কেন্দ্র দুটি চালাতে পারি?
বাংলাদেশে এ পর্যন্ত পাঁচটি কয়লা খনি আবিষ্কৃত হয়েছে। এগুলোর সম্মিলিত মজুতের পরিমাণ ২ হাজার ৫০০ মিলিয়ন টন। এ কয়লা সম্পদ ৭৩ টিসিএফ গ্যাসের সমতুল্য। তবে উত্তোলনযোগ্য কয়লার পরিমাণ ২০ টিসিএফ গ্যাসের সমতুল্য ধরা যেতে পারে, যা ৩০ থেকে ৪০ বছরের জ্বালানি নিরাপত্তা দিতে অত্যন্ত গুরুত্বপূর্ণ ভূমিকা রাখতে পারে। বাংলাদেশে ভালো জাতের বিটুমিনাস কয়লা পাওয়া গেছে। উত্তরাঞ্চলের বড় পুকুরিয়ায় যে কয়লা পাওয়া গেছে, তা ভূপৃষ্ঠ থেকে ১১৯ মিটার থেকে ৫৬০ মিটার গভীরতায় অবস্থিত। মোট ছয়টি কয়লাস্তর পাওয়া গেছে, যার পুরুত্ব সর্বনিম্ন তিন মিটার এবং সর্বোচ্চ বিরাশি মিটার। মোট মজুতের পরিমাণ ৬০৩ মিলিয়ন টন। বর্তমানে এ কয়লা খনিটি ভূগর্ভস্থ খনন পদ্ধতির মাধ্যমে উন্নয়নের পর্যায়ে রয়েছে। বড় পুকুরিয়া ছাড়াও জয়পুরহাটের জামালগঞ্জে ভূপৃষ্ঠ থেকে ৬৪০ মিটার থেকে ১১৫৮ মিটার গভীরতায় ৭টি কয়লাস্তর আবিষ্কৃত হয়েছে। কয়লা এলাকার বিস্তৃতি প্রায় ১২ বর্গ কিলোমিটার এবং মোট আনুমানিক মজুতের পরিমাণ ১০৫৩ মিলিয়ন টন। এখানে কয়লা স্তরের গভীরতা বেশি হওয়ায় তা অর্থনৈতিক দিক দিয়ে লাভজনক হবে কিনা, সে বিষয়ে বিতর্ক রয়েছে। ফলে এ মজুতের উন্নয়নের কাজ আরম্ভ হয়নি। দিনাজপুরের ফুলবাড়িয়া কয়লা খনি বাংলাদেশের জন্য এক নতুন সম্ভাবনা হিসেবে দেখা দিয়েছে। এখানে কয়লা মজুতের পরিমাণ ৫৭২ মিলিয়ন টন। এ প্রকল্পের উদ্যোক্তা এশিয়া এনার্জি কর্পোরেশন (বাংলাদেশ)। খনির মেয়াদকালে মোট বিনিয়োগ ধরা হয়েছে ২০০ কোটি মার্কিন ডলার বা বাংলাদেশী টাকায় প্রায় ১৪ হাজার কোটি টাকা। ফুলবাড়ী কয়লা উন্মুক্ত পদ্ধতিতে তোলার কথা, যা এরই মধ্যে যথেষ্ট বিতর্কের সৃষ্টি করেছে। এ খনিতে বার্ষিক উত্পাদন ক্ষমতা হবে ১৫ মিলিয়ন টন। এই কয়লা খনির দৈর্ঘ্য ৮ কিলোমিটার (উত্তর-দক্ষিণে) এবং প্রস্থ ৩ কিলোমিটার (পূর্ব-পশ্চিমে)। এই খনিটি ভূপৃষ্ঠ থেকে ১৬৫-২৭০ মিটার গভীরে অবস্থিত।
এসব কয়লাখনি নিয়ে আমাদের দেশে একটি বড় বিতর্ক চলছে—আর তা হচ্ছে কয়লা আমরা তুলব কীভাবে? ভূগর্ভস্থ পদ্ধতিতে, নাকি উন্মুক্ত পদ্ধতিতে? উন্মুক্ত পদ্ধতির প্লাস পয়েন্ট হচ্ছে এই পদ্ধতিতে ৯০ শতাংশ কয়লা তোলা যাবে। অন্যদিকে আন্ডারগ্রাউন্ড বা ভূগর্ভস্থ পদ্ধতিতে তুললে তোলা যাবে মাত্র ১০ শতাংশ। এতে ঝুঁকিও বেশি। বাংলাদেশ অত্যন্ত ঘনবসতিপূর্ণ এলাকা। অল্প জমিতে অনেক মানুষ বাস করেন। সমস্যা হচ্ছে উন্মুক্ত পদ্ধতিতে তুলতে হলে অনেকে জমি হারাবেন। ফুলবাড়ী কয়লা প্রকল্পের জন্য প্রায় ৫ হাজার ৯৩৩ হেক্টর জমি অধিগ্রহণের প্রয়োজন হবে, এর প্রায় ৮০ শতাংশই কৃষি জমি। প্রকল্প বাস্তবায়নের কারণে প্রকল্পকালে প্রায় ২ হাজার ৩০০ আদিবাসীসহ ৪০ হাজার মানুষকে স্থানান্তর ও পুনর্বাসিত করতে হবে। এই কাজটি ১০ বছরের মধ্যে সম্পন্ন হবে। এখানে ১০০০ মেগাওয়াটের বিদ্যুত্ উত্পাদন করার কথা। এটা বলা হয়ে থাকে যে, ফুলবাড়ী কয়লা প্রকল্প চালু হলে প্রতি বছর জিডিপিতে প্রায় ১ শতাংশ সংযোজন হতে পারে। প্রকল্প মেয়াদকালে জিডিপিতে অবদান রাখবে প্রায় ২১ বিলিয়ন মার্কিন ডলার। কিন্তু ফুলবাড়ীর জনগণ উন্মুক্ত পদ্ধতিতে কয়লা তোলার বিরোধিতা করে আসছে সেই প্রথম থেকেই। ২০০৬ সালের ২৬ আগস্ট ফুলবাড়ী কয়লা খনি উত্তোলনের বিরোধিতাকারী স্থানীয় জনগণের সঙ্গে আইন রক্ষাকারী বাহিনীর সংঘর্ষ হয়। তাতে মারা যান ৬ জন মানুষ। এশিয়া এনার্জির সঙ্গে যে চুক্তি হয়েছিল, তারও বিরোধিতা করছে একটি জাতীয় কমিটি। ফুলবাড়ী কয়লা উত্তোলন নিয়ে যে জটিলতা, সেই জটিলতা এখনও দূর হয়নি। তবে একটি আশার কথা শুনিয়েছে জ্বালানি ও খনিজ সম্পদ মন্ত্রণালয় সম্পর্কিত সংসদীয় কমিটি। কমিটির বৈঠকে উন্মুক্ত পদ্ধতিতে কয়লা তোলার পক্ষে মত দেয়া হয়েছে। তারা কয়লানীতি দ্রুত চূড়ান্ত করারও সুপারিশ করেছে। আগামী মন্ত্রিসভার বৈঠকে তা চূড়ান্ত হওয়ার কথা। এই যখন পরিস্থিতি এবং যেখানে দেশে প্রচুর কয়লা সম্পদ রয়েছে, সেখানে ভারত থেকে কয়লা আমদানি করে বিদ্যুত্ কেন্দ্র নির্মাণ করা কতটুকু যুক্তিযুক্ত—এ প্রশ্ন করাই যায়। এতে করে ভারতের উপর এক ধরনের নির্ভরশীলতা তৈরি হতে পারে। আগামীতে ভারত-বাংলাদেশ সম্পর্কে যদি অবনতি ঘটে, তাহলে এই কয়লা আমদানির উপর তা কোনো প্রভাব ফেলবে কিনা, আমরা তা জানি না। বলা হচ্ছে বিদ্যুত্ কেন্দ্র দুটি নির্মাণে যে ব্যয় হবে, তা দেশ দুটো সমানভাবে ভাগ করে নেবে। এ ক্ষেত্রে ভারত যা ব্যয় করবে, তা তুলে নেবে কীভাবে? এই চুক্তিটি বহাল থাকবে কত বছরের জন্য? এসব বিষয় বিস্তারিত জানা দরকার। এটা ভালো হয় যদি তা সংসদে উপস্থাপন করা হয়। এতে করে বিরোধী দলের অংশগ্রহণের একটি সুযোগ তৈরি হলো। এর মধ্য দিয়ে আমাদের বিরোধী দলের সংসদ সদস্যরা এটা জানার সুযোগ পাবেন যে, বিদ্যুত্ কেন্দ্র দুটির জন্য যে কয়লার প্রয়োজন, তা আমরা স্থানীয়ভাবে সংগ্রহ করতে পারতাম কিনা? দ্বিতীয়ত, চুক্তিতে যেসব শর্ত রাখা হয়েছে, তা বাংলাদেশের স্বার্থের প্রতিকূলে কিনা? তৃতীয়ত, ভারতীয় ঋণ শোধ করার প্রক্রিয়াটি কী? চতুর্থত, যে চুক্তিটি স্বাক্ষরিত হয়েছে, তাতে কোনো ‘তৃতীয়পক্ষ’-এর উপস্থিতি রয়েছে কিনা?
ক্রমবর্ধমান বিদ্যুত্ সঙ্কটে কয়লাভিত্তিক বিদ্যুত্ কেন্দ্র নির্মাণ আমাদের জন্য একটি ‘আশার আলো’। কিন্তু যেহেতু দ্বিপাক্ষিক আলোচনায় আমাদের দক্ষতার অভাব রয়েছে, সেহেতু এই চুক্তি যেন আমাদের ‘গলার কাঁটা’ হয়ে না দাঁড়ায়! একই সঙ্গে সংসদীয় কমিটি উন্মুক্ত পদ্ধতিতে কয়লা তোলার যে সুপারিশ করেছে, আমি তাকে স্বাগত জানাই। তবে ফুলবাড়ীর মানুষদের কথা মনে রাখতে হবে। কয়লা সম্পদের ভাগিদার তারাও। তাদের পুনর্বাসনই শুধু নয়, চাকরি-বাকরির ক্ষেত্রে তাদের অগ্রাধিকার দিতে হবে। ফুলবাড়ীর কয়লা সম্পদের ‘হক’ তাদের আছে। এই ‘হক’ থেকে তাদের আমরা বঞ্ছিত করতে পারি না। রাষ্ট্র এ অঞ্চলের সম্পদ জাতীয় উন্নয়নে ব্যয় করবে, এটা যেমন সত্য, তেমনি রাষ্ট্রেরও দায়িত্ব রয়েছে এ অঞ্চলের মানুষদের জীবনযাত্রার মানোন্নয়ন করা। দেশে এরই মধ্যে একটি ‘জাতীয় কমিটি’ গঠিত হয়েছে। তারা দীর্ঘদিন থেকেই দেশের জ্বালানি সম্পদের সুষ্ঠু ব্যবহার নিয়ে তাদের বক্তব্য দিয়ে আসছে। তাদের সঙ্গে কথাবার্তা বলাটাও জরুরি। তবে এটা ঠিক বাংলাদেশের কয়লা ব্যবহার না করে কেন ভারতীয় কয়লা আমদানি করব—এর একটি সুস্পষ্ট ব্যাখ্যা থাকা প্রয়োজন। কেননা আমরা জানি ভারতীয় কয়লায় পরিবেশ দূষণ হয় সবচেয়ে বেশি। সেই তুলনায় আমাদের কয়লার মান অনেক ভালো। মনে রাখতে হবে যেখানে সারা বিশ্বে, বিশেষ করে অস্ট্রেলিয়ায় কয়লাভিত্তিক বিদ্যুত্ উত্পাদনের পরিমাণ ৭৯ শতাংশ, চীনে ৭৮ শতাংশ, জার্মানিতে ৪৯ শতাংশ, কিংবা ভারতে ৬৯ শতাংশ, সেখানে আমাদের কয়লা সম্পদ থাকা সত্ত্বেও আমরা তা ব্যবহার করতে পারছি না। বাংলাদেশে ২০১২ সালে বিদ্যুতের চাহিদা গিয়ে দাঁড়াবে ১০ হাজার মেগাওয়াট, আর ২০২০ সালে ১৬৮০৮ মেগাওয়াট, তখন কয়লা ছাড়া আমাদের কোনো ‘বিকল্প’ নেই। গ্যাস সম্পদ ফুরিয়ে আসছে। গভীর সমুদ্রে গ্যাস উত্তোলন নিয়ে তৈরি হচ্ছে নানা জটিলতা। সে ক্ষেত্রে কয়লা সম্পদ আমাদের জন্য একটি ভরসা। কিন্তু এই কয়লা সম্পদকে ব্যবহার না করে পার্শ্ববর্তী দেশ থেকে কয়লা আমদানি করলে বিতর্ক তো বাড়বেই। আমরা চাই এ নিয়ে বিস্তারিত আলোচনা হোক। আমরা বিদ্যুত্ উত্পাদন বাড়াতে চাই; কিন্তু পরনির্ভরশীল হতে চাই না।
লেখক : নিরাপত্তা ও আন্তর্জাতিক রাজনীতির বিশ্লেষক
tsrahmanbd@yahoo.com

Amardesh online- 04.09.2010

Bangladesh annually loses fruits and vegetables worth Tk 3,391.71 crore due to lack or inadequacies in transportation, processing and storage.
   A study done by Bangladesh Agricultural University this year shoes that inadequate transportation, storage, processing and marketing facilities cause the loss.
   It identified ignorance of the stakeholders, absence of monitoring by the authorities and the use of chemicals contribute to the recurring loss each year.
   The study estimated the loss of fruits at approximately Tk 3,065.6 crore, of vegetables at nearly Tk 3,26.11 crore.
   Jackfruit growers sustain the highest loss of about 44 per cent and pineapple growers follow with 40 per cent loss due to fruit borer, soft rot, stem-bleeding as well as the use of growth promoting and ripening chemicals in Mymensingh, Gazipur and Madhupur.
   A teacher of the university, Kamrul Hassan did the study, ‘Post Harvest Loss Assessment: A Study to Formulate Policy for Socioeconomic Loss Reduction of the Stakeholders on account of Fruits and Vegetables’ in eight districts of Rajshahi, Chapainawabgonj, Tangail, Bogra, Pabna, Sylhet, Dinajpur, Mymensingh, Gazipur, Jessore, Comilla and Narshingdi.
   The study found an increased use of ripening chemicals in recent years resulted in reduced nutritional quality of fruits and vegetables by 21 per cent.
   Besides, it says, the use of the chemicals is harmful for the consumers.
   A Dhaka University Institute of Nutrition and Food Science teacher Sheikh Nazrul Islam told New Age that indiscriminate use of un-recommended chemicals posed a serious threat to human health. He said that the chemicals damage kidney and can cause cancer and retard the growth of children.
   The study said that growers as well as traders sustain losses for carrying bananas, papayas, pineapples, citruses, litchis, jackfruits, leafy vegetables, cauliflowers, brinjals, okras and cucumbers in traditional in traditional ways to markets.
   Growers and traders also sustain significant losses, it said, due to rot, degeneration or other factors, as no proper post harvest sorting, grading and packaging are done to ensure produce quality during transportation to local selling centres and the wholesale markets at a distance.
   According to the study, about 84 per cent of the growers use growth chemicals for early marketing of many fruits and vegetables like lichi, pineapple, mango, tomato, brinjal and okra at immature stages to maximise profit.
   Bangladesh grows 110 lakh tonnes of fruits and vegetables on about 873,000 hectares, which is far below the minimum per head average requirement of 400 grams per day, according to Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics report of 2009.
   Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology head of the department of chemical engineering, Professor Dil Afroza Begum told the New Age the present status of preservation and packing fruits and vegetables in Bangladesah was far from satisfactory.
   She said that with better preservation and packing the losses in fruits and vegetables could be reduced drastically like in the developed countries.
   To achieve it, she said, the traders have to use admissible level of preservatives also low-cost cooling technology to store perishables in rural areas.
   She said that the government had the responsibility to monitor the situation to ensure compliance.

http://www.newagebd.com/2010/sep/03/busi.html#1

Saleque Sufi

Courtesy the Financial Express – 7th July, 2010

There is no dearth of proposals for short-, medium- and long-term actions to help overcome the problems that the country is now facing in its vital energy sector. Seminars, symposia and round-table meetings have been held aplenty, both at home and abroad, in the last couple of years for synergising actions to confront the prevailing and emerging energy crisis. Issues that are relevant to energy crisis and gas crunch are now, by and large, known. So also some possible remedies have been identified, time and again. But actions are yet hard to come to grapple with the situation.

In this context, it would be relevant to recall here that some non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) from the USA, Australia and the Philippines participated in a government-sponsored brain-storming on coal mining strategy, held last year around this time in Dhaka. Intensive interactions took place then, over a period of four days in Jamuna Bridge resort, with government policy-makers and resident Bangladeshi professionals on coal mining strategy. Professional coal miners with hands on mining experience suggested what would need to be done at the under-performing mine at Barapukuria. Mine city planners and GIS experts presented relevant aspects of resettlement and rehabilitation issues. Environmental and other aspects associated with mining were also discussed there. A complete set of recommendations on coal policy emerged out of the round-table conference.

One year has whistled away. But coal policy continues to remain in hibernation. Leaving huge domestic coal resource underground, the vested quarters are conspiring to set up coal-fired power plants based on imported coal.

Over the last one year, no new gas field was discovered; there were no worthwhile exploration efforts to discover any gas resource. No gas field, worth mentioning, was further developed. Action did not also come to seal leakage of Titas gas field. No new gas transmission infrastructure of gas was set up. Demand has grown in the meantime. Production crisis and transmission constraints of gas system have created crisis over power generation, fertilizer production and operation of industries. Can any democratic government sustain this situation so long? What are the answers of energy sector policy-makers?

Last winter Dhaka city and adjoining areas experienced the worst gas crisis of history. None told us that situation improved much. Desperate management actions were talked about then, for gas rationing, holiday staggering, shutting down CNG fuelling station operations until 4PM on every week days. But such measures, even if operationalised at full gear, would not bring much relief, as the experts fear.

According to reliable sources, the country’s gas deficit is about 300 MMCFD now. National production capacity is 2000 MMCFD but for transmission constraint, only about 1950 MMCFD can be transported. Even that transportation is affected by low pressure over entire gas grid, as the main transmission segment N-S Corridor from Beanibazar to Ashuganj transmission system is supersaturated. No on-stream pigging to clean these pipelines has been conducted since the commissioning of these pipelines. There are no pipeline compressor stations in the system. The government has already run into controversy regarding Muchai Compressor installations. So there is no immediate respite from gas system crisis.

The country’s peak power demand already is about 6000MW. Power Development Board (PDB) can generate about 3800-4000MW. There was little or no addition from last year. PDB claims that about 600MW capacity is lying idle for gas supply crisis. It has been learnt that Petro Bangla (PB) is taking actions to increase gas production from operated gas fields at Bhangura, Meghna and Titas. But there is no guarantee that these will be available soon.

The people of Bangladesh have every right to question the non-performance of the authorities concerned or their non-achievement in power sector and gas sector over the past several months. Development of energy sector issues is left uncared for all practical purposes. But some policy-makers have remained themselves busy with useless road shows at abroad. They are repeating the same at home, now. What benefits would these ventures bring to Bangladesh energy sector? Why have not PDB and Petrobangla Chairmen been able to resolve gas supply to power generation units while they are too busy with non-substantive matters? The energy sector policy-makers and managers owe explanations to the nation.

We cannot come out of the crisis so long we cannot realistically diversify fuel for power generation. We must immediately adopt appropriate coal mining strategy. Domestic coal is our best option for power generation. We must start mining of coal in our mines by economic means to extract maximum resource in proven technique and start setting up some large capacity mine power plants. Plants on imported coal will not be economic and cannot be set up in less than five years. These are all hypes and ways of trapping Bangladesh permanently on external dependence.

Gas sector is also suffering from competency crisis. Key management has little capability. There is no way for the gas system to come out of present crisis in less than three years. But some contingency measures can create some comfort. We do not understand why gas saved for routine maintenance of KAFCO and forced outage of CUFL cannot bring Raujan and Shikhalbaha to full capacity generation, at least temporarily. Fertilizer plants unfortunately are the only ones which can be shut down on rotations to divert gas for other use including power plants. PDB must also try to produce maximum from energy efficient plants. People do not want to listen to blaming games between PDB and Petrobangla.

……………………………………….

The writer is the ex-Director (Operation), GTCL, and

writes from Australia

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/print_view.php?news_id=105270

Faridpur, Dinajpur and Kushtia are the top ranking districts that performed well in terms of business environment, according to a survey.
   The survey, Bangladesh Economic Governance Index – 2010, was circulated at a function at Sonargaon Hotel Sunday.
   The 2010 EGI is a partnership between the Asia Foundation and the Bangladesh Investment Climate Fund. The Bangladesh EGI is a part of the Local Economic Governance Programme – Enhancing the Sustainability and Stakeholder Ownership of Investment Climate Reforms in Bangladesh implemented by the Asia Foundation with BICF funding.
   The EGI survey has been completed in all the old 19 districts of the country.
   It showed that Faridpur, Dinajpur and Kushtia represents ‘high’ tier comprising scores from 75.7 to 73.3 followed by ‘medium-high’ tier, comprising 4 districts – Sylhet, Cox’s Bazar, Mymensingh, Comilla – with scores from 69.2 to 66.1.
   The ‘medium-low’ tier comprises eight districts – Rangpur, Patuakhali, Dhaka, Jessore, Khulna, Bogra, Pabna and Noakhali – with scores ranging from 60.34 to 57.13.
   The ‘low’ tier consists of four districts – Tangail, Chittagong, Barisal and Rajshahi – with scores from 55.71 to 53.02.
   Like other economic governance indices conducted in Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia or Sri Lanka, the Bangladesh EGI composed of 10 sub-indices. These are entry costs, access to land and security of tenure, transparency, time cost of regulatory compliance, informal charges, participation, law and order, tax administration, dispute resolution and local infrastructure.
   The survey was conducted with a stratified random district-level sample of 3,800 firms (200 per district headquarters). The strata were based on sectors (manufacturing, trade and services) and size (number of employees). Only firms with at least 3 employees were included in the survey since the EGI analysis is focused on growth-oriented firms, rather than subsistence firms.
   The survey also showed that less than 1 per cent firms have 20 or more employees, which clearly highlights the disproportionate presence of small enterprises in the country, nearly 70 per cent of the firms covered by the listing are concentrated in wholesale and retail trade activities and less than one half of one per cent of firms covered by the listings are owned by women.
   Chaired by economist Wahiduddin Mahmud, commerce minister Faruk Khan spoke at the function.
   Sylhet City Mayor Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran, Mahmud-us-Samad Chowdhury MP, Center for Policy Dialogue executive director Mustafizur Rahman and AmCham president Aftab Ul Islam also spoke.

http://www.newagebd.com/2010/aug/02/busi.html

Courtesy The Financial Express

RANGPUR, Mar 19 (BSS): Experts, politicians and academicians have stressed the need for paying maximum importance to ensuring proper utilisation of a large number of human and natural resources and agriculture sector of the newly formed Rangpur division.

Rangpur division has the brightest prospects in becoming the country’s economic backbone if its gigantic natural resources could be explored, human resources utilised and due attention were paid to the prospective agriculture sector, they said.

They said that the region, having a large number of mineral resources and enormous economic prospects, was not paid due administrative and political attention that put its people in poverty and economically backward due to the discriminations for decades.

Rangpur division produces huge quantities of surplus foods and meets the country’s food demand, will now get due administrative attention towards attaining sustainable development in all sectors, they said.

The present pro-people government has fulfilled the long- cherished demand of the people of greater Rangpur and Dinajpur making them grateful to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The politicians and academicians told the news agency that people remained neglected for decades due to regional and political discrimination to the region despite its vast contribution to meet the national food demand.

“If the natural resources including coal are explored, power stations set up, natural gas supplied and gigantic manpower utilised, Rangpur division will soon emerge as the most industrialised and developed region to steering the country’s economy,” they said.

Besides, the new division will change the socio-economic scenario, communications, international trade and commerce with the neighbouring countries, expedite poverty eradication, increase agro- productions and boost industrialisation, they added.

The politicians, socio-cultural activists, business community leaders, elite, public representatives, farmers, housewives, students, labourers, NGO executives, teachers, commoners and professionals expressed their gratitude for making Rangpur division.

They thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for fulfilling the long-cherished demand of the people by realising its another pre-poll pledge by making Rangpur a division and taking speedy steps for activating the division very soon.

Convener of district Awami League (AL) Abul Mansur Ahmed, joint conveners Advocate Rezaul Karim Raju and Mosaddek Hossain Bablu, AL leaders Safia Khanom and Tauhidur Rahman were also seeing brighter prospects of Rangpur division.

Convener of Rangpur Swechchha Sebok League Moazzem Hossain Lablu, Chhatra League (BCL) vice-president Jashem Bin Hossain Jummon, BCL leaders Saiful Islam, Rashedunnabi Jewell, also expressed their views.

Former State Minister and AL Treasurer HN Ashikur Rahman MP, AL central leader Tipu Munshi MP, Abul Kalam Azad MP, Anisul Islam Mondol MP, suggested for taking further steps to ensure rapid development of the region by utilising the prospects.

Leaders of Jatiya Party, JSD, CPB and many other political parties, socio- cultural organisations and professional bodies also thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and asked for ensuring sustainable developments of the neglected region.

AKM Sahmsuddin

Courtesy The Financial Express, 18^th. May 2010

Proposal of Asia Energy: Asia Energy proposed to extract about 10-15 million tons of coal from Phulbari Coal Field adopting open-pit mining method from a depth ranging from 250 to 300 meters by removing 4400 million tons of overburden (rock, sand, mud, soil) covering an area of about 5.2 sq. km. throughout the life of the mine. The life of the mine is estimated to be 36-38 years. Mining operations will mainly consists of dewatering of aquifer, cleaning and top soil stripping, overburden removal, rehabilitation of mined out areas and overburden dumps. Coal seams ranging in total thickness between 20 and 65 meters are planned to be extracted from the upper and main coal seams. Aquifer dewatering will be continuous throughout the operation life of the mine. Asia Energy assessed that a large quantity of groundwater ranging from 400 to 800 ML/day will need to be discharged throughout the operational life of the mine. Asia Energy plans to make discharged groundwater available to the tune of 100 to 230 ML/day for riparian use, river discharge purposes and water for coal fired power station. Out of removable 4400 million cubic meters of overburden, 30% overburden will be dumped ex-pit and the remainder will be deposited back into the pit. According to the Asia Energy mine would displace 40,000 people of some 100 villages and a portion of Phulbari town. To maintain dry working condition in open-pit mine, aquifers and aquitards need to be depressurized. Due to mine dewatering activities water level drawdown will form an irregular ellipsoidal shape with water level declines in excess of 10 km from the mine. This would reduce groundwater availability to Phulbari Township, surrounding villages and local farming communities within the given area of influence. Groundwater will also impact on bio-diversity, wetlands and rivers in the surrounding areas. All the above mentioned information is from Asia Energy.

Impact on geological, hydrogeological & social environment: Potential and major groundwater reservoir of Bangladesh lies in the north-western region of Bangladesh covering greater Dinajpur and Rangpur districts. The groundwater resource of this region is the main aquifer of Bangladesh which is about 80-120 meters thick in the DupiTila formation and situated at about 10-12 meters below surface. A study by School of Environmental Studies, Jadavpur University, Kolkata and Dhaka Community Hospital (DCH) on “Possible Arsenic Contamination Free Groundwater in Bangladesh” reveals that groundwater of north-western region of Bangladesh is almost arsenic-contamination free. Water level runs lower in the region during dry season and makes it difficult for the tubewells to draw water. The government and non-governmental organisations have been trying tree plantation for many years to prevent desertification in the north-western region of Bangladesh.

Groundwater level is falling alarmingly in the northern districts of Bangladesh. The underground water level in eight districts of the northern region including Dinajpur is falling gradually posing a threat to Irri-Boro farming. About 30% tubewells in the area have become inoperative for want of underground water. The water reserve in the upper part of underground water level has been exhausted and the next level has gone down by about five meters. The badly affected districts are Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Kurigram, Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari and Gaibandha. According to a NGO consultancy firm, the northern region has the possibility of turning into a desert if water is lifted from underground level exceeding 15,000 cusecs a year. But at present about one lakh cusecs of water are being lifted for irrigation, which is alarmingly higher than the red signal. Most alarming is that the lifted water is not being balanced by regular seasonal rainfall. The maximum gap may cause natural disaster at any time if the situation continues as cautioned by the experts.

Extraction of Phulbari coal through open-pit mining method will be disastrous for the north-western region in particular and Bangladesh in general due to dewatering of underground from DupiTila formation to the tune of 800 million liters per day over a period of 38-years by Asia Energy. Dewatering in the Phulbari mining area will not only disturb the major aquifer, it will also damage the most potential and massive aquifer of north-western Bangladesh, making the area a desert like place. Re-injection of only 25% of extracted toxic and contaminated water, as proposed by Asia Energy, cannot improve the situation. If underground mining method is adopted there will be no such threat to environment.

Prof. Nazrul Islam of Department of Geography and Environment at Dhaka University says Dhaka WASA should avoid groundwater extraction and search for surface water sources in order to save groundwater environment. Relying on groundwater extraction alone poses a grave threat to land subsidence with a potentially negative impact like that experienced in countries like Thailand (Bangkok) and Mexico, he said. “Two decades ago land subsidence of few inches took place every year in those countries due to unbridled groundwater extraction”. While the benefits remain uncertain, the results to the environment could be seriously harmful, he explained. “The initiative to set up 1000-ft depth tubewells in Dhaka city is very destructive since existing 600-ft deep tubewells have already created a large vacuum within the underground level due to lack of water recharge, making the situation very vulnerable to earthquakes”, he asserted. Experience shows that over extraction of groundwater can cause land subsidence and lead to creation of underground vacuum which make us all the more vulnerable to earthquake. Extraction of huge quantity of groundwater at Phulbari coal basin will put the north-western region of Bangladesh to the threat of natural disaster, land subsidence, land sliding and earthquake. Adopting underground mining method will eliminate the region from those threats. Asia Energy has proposed to re-inject only 25% of water which is toxic and contaminated and will also affect the fertility of refilled agricultural land.

Access to safe water is a fundamental human need and therefore a basic human right. We need to supply healthy water and to ensure that everyone has excess to it. The right to water has been accepted as a natural, social fact. We have no right to deny Phulbari People’s right to access to water for coal. Water is no less important than oil, gas and coal. Under the above circumstances open-pit mining at Phulbari and extraction of pure and clean groundwater to the tune of 400-800 ML/day over the whole operational life of the mine cannot be justified. Underground mining method at Phulbari will not deny the people’s right to access of water.

According to Asia Energy the top-soil will be removed and preserved once mining operation begins in a particular block. This top-soil will be preserved before it is brought back and spread on the top of the area filled. The top-soil will be utilized after completion of mining one particular block which may take 3-5 years. It will be very difficult to preserve top-soil for such a long time. Top-soil may be washed away during monsoon. At least 3-5 monsoon will be there before top-soil is used at the top of the filled out mining block. And the fertility of the top-soil will be lost during these 3-5 rainy seasons. During monsoon, already mined out area will be filled up by rain water, which is required to be pumped out again. During rainy season mining will be difficult and may have to be postponed to facilitate pumping water out of the mine to make it dry for mining. Thus 2-3 months in a year may be lost due to above reasons. Thus uninterrupted supply of coal to the power station and other consumers may not be possible. The above situation may be avoided adopting underground mining method.

About 2, 00,000 people from 150 villages will have to be evacuated from the mine area. Within the coal mine vicinity or nearby area there is no such barren land to allocate the people. It will be very difficult to relocate those people in a thickly populated region like ours. Moreover, they will be deprived of their livelihood. These will be significantly minimised if underground mining method is adopted.

Asia Energy’s proposal to rehabilitate the people phase by phase and block by block in the refilled area cannot be materialized since coal mine regulations will prohibit affected people to live such close to an operative mine.

The coal seam lies below more than 200 meters from the surface. The overburden of Phulbari coal deposit is incompetent, unconsolidated and water logged. Technically open-pit coal mining should not be done below 150-200 meters. These are practiced in our neighboring countries India and China. The unconsolidated and water logged bed above the coal seam will disturb the stability of the working ‘bench’ and installation of heavy equipment will be very difficult in the loose soils at intermediate depth for extraction of coal. During the rainy season the situation will be much more complicated.

Existence of major faults in the Phulbari coal basin indicates presence of highly disturbed zone. This will facilitate rapid drawdown of water table. This will disturb the stability of major aquifer in the region. Since major, massive and most potential water reservoir lies above the coal seams, open-pit mining will therefore definitely damage the major aquifer. There are agricultural lands, villages, township, forests, etc. at the surface of the coal deposit. Rehabilitation, relocation and compensation by land in congested areas like Phulbari will be very difficult. All these factors make open-pit mining at Phulbari non-feasible and non-viable.

Phulbari (Bangladesh) open-pit mine is not comparable with RWE (German) open-pit mine: Germany is one of the most developed and industrialised nations in the world, while Bangladesh is one of the most thickly populated and least developed countries in the world. The density of population in RWE mining areas vary from 290-529 inhabitants per sq. km. area whereas the density of population in Phulbari area is about 916 per sq. km. area. The people of Phulbari area are dependent on their agricultural land while RWE people are not dependent on their land that has been under mining. RWE rehabilitated over 30,000 people in last 50 years in barren and unused land. Whereas about 2, 00,000 people from Phulbari area will have to be rehabilited during 30 years mostly in agricultural land or otherwise usable land. And those lands are not easily available. RWE installed 1400 wells for 100% reinjection of mine pumped out waters to different sources while Asia Energy proposed to install 80-100 dewatering tubewells for reinjection of 25% of the mine pumped out water. Phulbari coal basin lies beneath a massive and most potential aquifer of Bangladesh whereas RWE mine does not lie beneath such a most potential and major aquifer of Germany. RWE re-injects 100% displaced water whereas Asia Energy proposed to re-inject 25% of displaced water at Phulbari. Open pit mining operations involved lowering of the groundwater level which will ultimately generating acid mine drainage (AMD). Because of large discharge area, only an innovative in-situ technology can be used to reduce the AMD. Such a technology has been developed on a laboratory scale in Germany and is currently being tested in an aquifer already contaminated by AMD in a bid to assess and improve groundwater quality. We are not aware of such initiative by Asia Energy in Phulbari. The geological and hydrogeological settings of Phulbari deposit are completely different than that of RWE deposit. RWE mines have been developed by local experts while Phulbari mine has been proposed to be developed by foreign experts.

Under the above circumstances, Phulbari open pit mine cannot be compared with RWE open pit mines. Thus RWE experiences cannot be applied at Phulbari fully and perfectly.

Present low recovery of Barapukuria underground coal mine cannot be the basis of adopting open-pit mine at Phulbari: M/S Wardell Armstrong, a reputed mining exploration and consulting company of U.K., conducted techno-economic feasibility study of Barapukuria coal deposit during 1987-1991. Wardell Armstrong strongly rejected the idea of open-pit mining at Barapukuria. They have estimated removal of 8,000-10,000 liters of groundwater per second for the whole operational life of the mine (30-years) to dewater DupiTila aquifer for open-pit mining of Barapukuria coal deposit. M/S Wardell Armstrong realised that the huge extraction of groundwater for such a long time from DupiTila aquifer may damage the most potential and major aquifer in the whole region. This is one of the reasons that M/S Wardell Armstrong opted for underground mining at Barapukuria. Wardell Armstrong suggested about 35% – 40% coal recovery by adopting underground longwall mining method. This is being practiced all over the world.

Present recovery of 7% to 8% recovery of coal from Barapukuria coal mine cannot be the basis of adopting open-pit mining at Phulbari. Coal recovery from Barapukuria may be increased to 35% to 40% if “hydraulic stowing” is undertaken. Moreover if hydraulic stowing is conducted present subsidence that has occurred at Barapukuria could be minimised. Even if latest underground coal extraction technology is adopted coal recovery from Barapukuria may rise to 60% to 70%. Present low recovery is due to lacking of concerned authority. Therefore, present low recovery of Barapukuria coal cannot be cited as a supportive example for open-pit mining at Phulbari.

Why BHP Australia left Bangladesh after discovery of Phulbari deposit: Initially BHP Australia discovered Phulbari coal in 1997 after taking lease from the government. BHP is a world standard reputed mining company. They did extensive exploration work during 1995-1997 and discovered Phulbari coal deposit. But in 1998, BHP assigned the job to a lesser known company Asia Energy and left Bangladesh. Probably BHP realised that in a thickly populated country like Bangladesh where coal seam lies beneath three valuable resources – water reservoir, agricultural land, township and villages – open pit mining, damaging and destroying three important resources of Bangladesh, will be simply disastrous.

Underground coal gasification (UGC): Geological, hydrogeological and social environment of Bangladesh coal deposit in the north-western region have made open-pit coal mining very difficult and underground mining expensive. But we have got substantial reserve (about 3000 million tons) of high grade bituminous coal from so far explored areas. For the greater interest of the country these coals must be harnessed. Using Underground Coal Gasification (UGC) technology – these coals may be exploited. UGC technology is now widely used in many countries including USA, Australia, China, Japan, etc. and gaining popularity. Bangladesh may undertake a feasibility study on implementation of Underground Coal Gasification (UGC) technology in Jamalganj Coal Field where neither conventional underground mining method nor open-pit mining method can be applied.

It’s a must: Exploitation of Phulbari coal deposit is a must for Bangladesh. Specially to meet the power demand of the country, installation of coal-based power station using locally produced coal has become very urgent. Therefore development of Phulbari coal field, adopting underground mining method, should be immediately undertaken.

The government may undertake a detailed hydro-geological study on major and potential aquifer in the north-western region of Bangladesh in the light of Asia Energy’s proposal for open-pit coal mining at Phulbari as well as for underground coal mining option. At the same time Asia Energy may examine underground mining prospects at Phulbari and may submit underground mining proposal to the government as a second option. Adopting underground longwall mining method 35% to 40% coal recovery is very much possible at Phulbari which can easily meet AEC’s requirement to run 1000MW power station at Phulbari. Moreover, using present and latest underground mining technology, 60% to 70% recovery of coal can be made through underground mining method. We don’t need to recover 90% coal, by open pit mining for also export, as per AEC. We need to recover for our own consumption as per requirement. That is very much possible adopting underground mining method at Phulbari. Therefore having both the proposals from AEC, underground and open-pit, Govt. can take the decision.

A former managing director of Pashchimanchal Gas Co. Ltd. (PGCL), Petrobangla, Engr. AKM Sahmsuddin is a petroleum & mining consultant. He can be reached e-mail: sham19472001@yahoo.com

 http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/more.php?page=detail_news&news_id=100392

BSS, Mymensingh

The New Nation, 12. July 2010

A study primarily revealed that post harvest spoilage of some selected fruits and vegetables causes a loss of Taka 3,392 crore every year in the country.

” The estimated post harvest losses of fruits and vegetables are enormous which is varies from 18 to 44 percent,” mentioned in a study paper pointing out that the loss was much more if all available fruits and vegetables produced in the country are brought under the research work.

A research team led by Dr Md Kamrul Hassan, Associate Professor of the Department of Horticulture in Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) is conducting the study titled ” Post-harvest loss assessment: A study to formulate policy for post harvest loss reduction of fruits and vegetables and socio-economic uplift of the stakeholders”.

The vegetables included in the study are tomato, cauliflower, brinjal, red amaranth, okra and cucumber with study areas of Jessore, Bogra, Comilla, Norshingdi, Kustia and Chuadanga while fruits categories are mango, banana, papaya, pineapple, orange, litchi and jackfruit with the areas of Rajshahi, Chaphai Nowabgonj, Tangail, Pabna, Gazipur, Chittagong, Sylhet, Dinajpur and Mymensingh for assessing post harvest loss, determine nutritional loss of fruits and vegetables and their pattern change at different stages and use of chemicals and pesticides.

Sub-standard and outdated pre and post harvest management practices adopted by stakeholders like growers and intermediaries, inadequate and unscientific storage facilities, lack of smooth and timely transportation of agro-products to the sell points and indiscriminate use of non-recommended chemicals specially for repining and preservations were identified as root causes of huge post-harvest losses of fruits and vegetables. Lack of knowledge in the growers and latest technologies are also key-reasons behind such spoilage leads to enormous economic losses, the researchers pointed out.

Among the selected fruits, post-harvest losses have been found maximum 44 percent in jackfruit with main diseases syndromes of shoot and fruit borer, stem-bleeding, and died-back that appeared as the serious threat in the leading jackfruit producing areas such as Mymensingh and Gazipur. On the other hand, post-harvest losses have been found 40 percent in pineapple due to indiscriminate use of growth promoting and repining agents causing quality deterioration and higher post harvest losses in Madhupur areas of Tangail.

The study paper recommended that the government should come forward immediately with special programme to solve these deteriorating trend in jackfruit and pineapple production. To check and reduce the post-harvest losses , the researchers suggested for setting up adequate storage facilities and small-scale processing plant as alternative to storage facility, ensure smooth and timely transportation for brining produces at sale points , introduction of sufficient numbers of refrigerated covered vans under public-private partnership to carry perishable fruits and vegetables.

The paper advocated for undertaking pilot projects to establish limited number of low temperature storage facilities in production catchments and wholesale markets for high-value produces. The locations for such facilities for specific fruits and vegetables can be Chapai Nawabganj for mango, Dinajpur for litchi , Madhupur of Tangail for pineapple and banana , and Jessore , Comilla and Bogra for vegetables. Besides , the paper recommended for construction of 4 large-scale multipurpose storage facilities at the vicinity of Karwan bazar, Jatrabari, Sayedabad and Badamtali in the capital for short and long term storage of perishables.

The researchers emphasised for launching massive drive to develop skilled manpower in the post-harvest management sectors to train and motivate the field level stakeholders. Steps would also be taken to improve the present frustrating state of packaging fruits and vegetables for keeping those longer times fit for consumption and hygienic.

The declining nutritional quality of fruits and vegetables during marketing is not yet properly documented in the country. A shorter time period between harvesting and consumption ensure vitamin-C security to the population, the study observed.

http://ebiz.ittefaq.com/issues/2010/07/12/news0102.htm

রসালো মধু মাসের আম বাংগালির ঐতিহ্যের সাথে সম্পৃক্ত। নান জাতের, বণের, সাদের এবং আকারের আম শুধু রসনা বিলাস নয় অর্থকরি ফসল হিসেবেও মুল্য সংযোজন করছে। এর উতপাদন, বাজারজাত করন, প্রক্রিয়াজাত করন এবং সংরক্ষন নিয়ে এই গবেষনা