Mining operations at Dinajpur's Madhyapara Mine suspended for month
Mahidul Islam Ripon, Dinajpur
Stone extraction activities at the Madhyapara mine in Dinajpur have been suspended for the past month due to the depletion of the explosive ammonium nitrate used for extracting stones from the ground.
This stone extraction activity was stopped from the morning of May 19. Although the mine authorities had assured that it would resume within 15 days, they failed. They say that shipping has been delayed due to the global crisis and there has been a delay in getting ships, which is why it is taking time to transport.
It is learnt that the mining authority is responsible for supplying ammonium nitrate, an explosive used in underground rock mining. Due to the temporary authorities' inability to supply explosives on time, stone extraction from the Madhyapara hard rock mine was previously stopped in 2014, 2015, 2018, 2022 and 2025 due to a crisis. Due to the lack of explosives, stone extraction from the Madhyapara hard rock mine has been stopped for 22 days in 2014, 2 months in 2015, 7 days in 2018 and currently for a month.
Incidentally, on May 25, 2007, the country's only underground stone mine, Madhyapara Granite Mining Company Limited (MGMCL) in Dinajpur, started commercial stone extraction from the mine. In the first phase, in February 2014, the mining authority signed a six-year contract with the Germania Trust Consortium for the extraction and maintenance of the mine stone.
In the second phase, in September 2021, the Madhyapara Granite Mining Company Limited (Madhyapara Stone Mine) authorities signed a 6-year renewal agreement with the contractor GTC. According to the agreement, the contractor is extracting an average of 5,500 metric tons of stone from the mine every day. About 800 workers work in the company in 3 shifts to extract stone. Meanwhile, a source at the Germania Trust Consortium-GTC, the contractor engaged in the extraction and maintenance of the mine, said that although the stone extraction work has stopped, the maintenance work of the mine is ongoing.
Madhyapara Granite Mining Company Limited (MGMCL) Managing Director Md. Amjad Hossain said, since it is a particularly sensitive product, it has to be brought by water. Due to the global crisis, there has been a delay in getting the ship, which is also taking time to transport. The ship will reach Chittagong port in a few days on its way to Singapore. It is hoped that mining operations will be able to start in the first week of July.
He said, a total demand of 300 metric tons has been given. 88 metric tons will come in the first phase. That will last for 2 to 2.5 months. The rest will come in phases like this. Due to its risk, this product cannot be stored for a long time in advance.
