Barapukuria mining stops
August 20th, 2008 | by mantrionline |Mining under Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Ltd (BCMCL) has remained suspended since Monday as the Bangladeshi mine workers started an indefinite strike protesting punishment to two of their colleagues for alleged scuffle between Bangladeshi and Chinese miners on August 14.
A scuffle between Bangladeshi and Chinese miners near face No 1110 at Barapukuria Coalmine on August 14 left a Chinese mine worker injured, official sources said.
Following the incident, BCMCL officials suspended two Bangladeshi miners as punishment.
Bangladeshi miners, on the other hand, claimed that Chinese miners attacked local workers, leaving two persons named Shohag and Minal seriously injured but the BCMCL authorities did not take any action against the responsible Chinese miners.
Protesting the ‘assault’ of Bangladeshi miners by Chinese workers and suspension of two Bangladeshi miners as punishment by BCMCL officials, the Bangladeshi miners held a press conference at their office at Barapukuria and went on indefinite strike demanding an ‘acceptable solution’ over the issue.
At least 900 Bangladeshi miners and 260 Chinese miners are employed at different departments including mine development under the BCMCL.
Petrobangla officials led by MA Aziz will sit in a tripartite meeting with Bangladeshi and Chinese miners today to settle the issue, sources said. Earlier three attempts to mediate by BCMCL officials failed as the Bangladeshi miners remained firm on their demand.
Indefinite strike by Bangladeshi miners is badly disturbing the mining activity, Md Kamruzzaman, general manager (Mining) of BCMCL, said.
He expressed hope that the workers will withdraw their strike for national interest.
