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As soon as a day, they get to see the solar. The remainder of the time, they work deep underground in excessive temperatures starting from 45-50 levels Celsius. Regardless of the treacherous situations, there is no such thing as a additional time pay nor something to eat or drink however water and dry meals. That is the lifetime of employees on the Barapukuria coal mine.
The three models of the coal-fired thermal energy plant in Barapukuria produce 525 megawatts of energy, which fits straight into the nationwide grid.
Within the state-owned coal mine in Dinajpur, 1,147 Bangladeshi labourers work alongside 200 Chinese language employees after the federal government signed a contract with the Chinese language consortium XMC-CMC for the extraction of coal.
Ershad Hossain, a miner on the plant, mentioned that they work 1,200-1,500 ft underground. He alleges that the authorities don’t even be aware down the names of employees once they enter the mine.
“If a employee goes lacking, there gained’t be any proof as there is no such thing as a registration for us. However when the officers themselves go underground, their names are recorded.”
Shohag, one other miner, mentioned that after a employee enters the mine, there is no such thing as a means for him to get out with out finishing his work first.
“It’s important to keep there within the scorching warmth for eight hours. The filth from the coal mixes with our sweat. After I come out I can’t even recognise myself.”
Employee Hazrat Ali claims that he didn’t obtain any additional time wages even after working for greater than eight hours.
The wages of Bangladeshi employees in Barapukuria vary from Tk 22,000-30,000. There is no such thing as a medical health insurance protection for them. If a employee is crippled in an accident, he receives between Tk 20,000 and Tk 30,000 as compensation.
The Chinese language employees are paid their wages in US {dollars}, however the precise figures they obtain couldn’t be verified.
There are 5 coal mines within the nation, however coal is barely extracted from the central and southern sections of the Barapukuria mine, in accordance with the mining authorities. Coal has been mined right here since 2005 on a industrial foundation, utilizing an underground extraction methodology.
The Geological Survey of Bangladesh (GSB) found the Barapukuria mine in 1985. Coal deposits may be discovered throughout a 5.25 sq. kilometre space round 118 to 506 metres under the floor. A coal-fired energy plant has been arrange on the mine. However not all of the coal from the mine is used there.
The standard of the coal at Barapukuria is sweet sufficient for energy manufacturing attributable to its low sulphur content material, in accordance with the mine’s engineers.
One of many miners in Barapukuria mentioned their work is way more difficult than different professions. They arrive to work each morning and get their blood strain and pulse charges checked. They must put on a particular helmet with a flashlight mounted on it to navigate the darkness of the underground mine.
If the well being parameters are regular, the employees get on a raise and head all the way down to the principle mine — a thousand ft under the bottom. Then they must stroll a mile to the mine. This can be very darkish and humid inside as there isn’t any correct air flow system in place. An individual’s glasses will fog up in a second. The additional they journey underground, the warmer it will get.
The power additionally has particular ‘mine automobiles’.
As of now, no main disasters have been reported on the mine since its inception. However there have been some minor accidents. Just a few miners have died as properly.
The employees are sad about their paychecks and the general work atmosphere and have staged protests over completely different points. At the moment, they’re protesting for the reinstatement of employees who have been furloughed in the course of the coronavirus pandemic.
Solely 400 of the 1,147 laid-off Bangladeshi miners have been introduced again to work in January, mentioned Barapukuria Coal Mine Staff Union President Rabiul Islam.
The destiny of the furloughed employees hangs within the stability as they haven’t been fired, however will not be receiving their salaries both.
Abu Sufian, normal secretary of the employees’ union, mentioned they’re being subjected to “a form of torture” by the Chinese language contractor agency.
“No labour rights exist right here. Though the coronavirus pandemic has ebbed, the 400 Bangladeshi employees live their lives in ‘captivity’. They don’t have the fitting to go exterior the mine or to contact their households,” he mentioned.
However Barapukuria Coal Mining Firm’s Managing Director Kamruzzaman Khan denied all allegations made by the employees.
“They get a 5 % increment yearly and so they’re despatched all the way down to the mine in step with all the foundations.”
On the shortage of insurance coverage protection, he mentioned their contract with the employees features a clause on compensation and so they at all times pay it accordingly. However the quantity is about at Tk 20,000 to 30,000, he added.
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