Making better use of coal deposits of Northwest zone

Dr. Idris Miah :
Food and fuel are two very essential amenities for human survival. At present Bangladesh is a food self-sufficient country, but still it has fuel crisis. Basically, agriculture based Bangladesh was never mineral rich country. Before five decades, mineral resources of this country were nearly none. Natural gas was started to discover from fifth decade of last century. Coal has been discovered under the soil of this land before and after the independence of Bangladesh. All the coal basins are situated under fertile paddy fields.Now these natural gas and coal are main mineral resources of the country. On the other hand, during last few decades, an unexpected revolution in the field of agriculture has been occurred in Bangladesh. In this period, farmers and related people of this country increase production of food grain and other crops into few times. At present Bangladesh is a proud owner of extremely valuable coal and natural gas. These natural fuels are the sources of our electricity production. Actually, natural gas is the main source of electricity production of Bangladesh. But its existing reserve is limited in comparison to its gradually increasing demand. Reserve of natural gas is decreasing day by day due to lack of new discovery and increasing new demands. As a result electricity sector is being declining towards exported diesel and furnace oil. Alternative fuel of this country is coal. Geoscientists of the country have discovered high quality coal in the northwestern part of the country, but we cannot forget that this high quality coal is discovered under very fertile agricultural land.
All the shallow coal fields are situated in the north-western greater Rangpur and Dinajpur districts. Land of this area is very fertile. Every year, farmers of this area grow abundant crops, mainly paddy. Financial value of these crops is thousands of millions of Taka. So, extraction of high quality coal by destroying economically very profitable fertile land demands logical consideration. In this case, complicated agro-economical calculation and comparison with financial benefits of natural resources is required. The decision should go towards more profitable side of this calculation. In this situation, it is expected that both of these wealth have to use for the benefit of the country.
Discovered Bangladeshi coal is bituminous, which is high quality. Amount of energy per pound of coal is 11000 to 13000 BTU (British Thermal Unit).Each kilogram of Bangladeshi coal produces 1000 kilowatt of electricity. Amount of generated electricity from this coal is more than that produces from same amount of imported lignite type coal. In this process, the amount of pollution that produces during electricity generation from our coal will beless and the production cost will be comparatively less too. Soif it is possible to generate electricity from Bangladeshi coal instead of imported coal, then the country will be benefited in many folds. That means this coal can play a vital role in the development process of the country. The amount of coal reserve that discovered in Barapukuria, Khalaspir and Dhighipara coal basins of northwest Bangladesh is few thousand million metric tons. Butmineable amount of coal depends on applied technique. Most of the reserve coal is mine able by open crust method. On the other hand, maximum one third of reserve may be possible to extract by underground mining technique. What every the extracted amount of coal that will contribute in long time solution of present energy crisis of the country.
In this case, a drastic loss in the field of agriculture is confirmed. Every year this area produces huge amount of agricultural items like food grains especially paddy, a part of which will be completely stop. Farmers will lost their job and have to change their profession. Inhabitants will be expelled from their houses. That means present food self-sufficient Bangladesh may have to face the risk to be a country of food crisis again. Anomaly may arise in social balance. Thus scope of serious thinking and extended research to overcome this complicated problem and able to use these two valuable wealth, food grains and coal, for the need of socioeconomic development of the country.
A committee of multi-disciplined experts may be able to reach a logical decision after detail discussion and follow up research if needed. This committee has toform by geoscientist (geologist, geophysicist, geochemist etc.), agriculturists, environmental expert, engineers and experts from other essential fields. Considering all sides, it will not be excess to say that open crust mining of coal may not be very profitable in socioeconomic point of view. But if is there any favourable place found in the coal deposit area, where the land is less fertile, less populated and sandy river side, then attempt may be taken to establish open crust mining in experimental basis. In other places underground mining is expected in suitable sites. Attempt of coal mining is essential for the development of the country on emergency basis. It is very much essential to use this valuable wealth for quick development of the country. In future, there may discover any new technique by which electricity could be generated from underground coal keeping them there. Convert coal to gas is such a technique. Besides this, extraction of reserve methane gas in coal bed of these coal basins may be another possibility. Possibilities of this coal bed methane extraction from deep coal basin are more suitable like Jamalganj coal basin. Methane gas is being extricating by converting coal into gas in different countries of the world. In this process neither enough hampered in agricultural production nor much loss of people inhabitation. That means both coal and food grains will be useful wealth for the country.
Both crops (mainly paddy) and coal are our national wealth. Paddy is our staple food grain. Its production cannot be reduced instead of anything. On the other hand Bangladesh is a country of energy deficit. Demand of energy is very much essential for the development of the country. Electricity requires for the production of paddy. On the other hand, coal and gas is essential for the production of electricity.
So, quick decision requires for extracting coal keeping as minimum loss of paddy production as possible. In this case, less coal production is very much acceptable. Considering everything, it will not be practically logical to extract coal using open crust method by destroying residential houses and paddy producing agricultural land. Detail land survey to find sufficient non-agricultural vacant land is important. If vacant land under which coal deposit exist is available, then attempts of open crust mining may be taken. Besides underground coal mining may be started in other areas. Immediate decision is logical and essential. Though in this process coal extraction will be very much less, but loss of paddy and other agricultural production will less too.

(Dr. Idris Miah, Retired Director, Geological Survey of Bangladesh. Email: idrismiah@gmail.com )