Former MD says it's 'technical loss'

Former managing director of Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Ltd (BCMCL) Habib Uddin Ahmed, who was withdrawn after disappearance of 1.42 lakh tonnes of coal worth about Tk 230 crore, yesterday claimed the coal disappeared due to 'technical loss'.

After stepping out from interrogation cell of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Habib told journalists “From the beginning, a technical loss has taken place.”

“No corruption or theft had taken place. Through investigation, hopefully the truth will come up one day. I'm confident about it,” he said.

ACC yesterday interrogated eight officials of BCMCL including Habib in connection with the case filed over disappearance of the coal with Parbatipur Police Station in Dinajpur on July 24. Earlier on Tuesday, ACC had interrogated eight other BCMCL officials.

“Coal that had been stocked since 2005 contains about 5.1 percent moisture. This moisture and dust went away,” Habib told reporters.

“Since I'm an accused you may not believe me. But according to experts and international standards, the magnitude of loss is not huge. Here the magnitude of system loss is 1.4 percent, but internationally between two percent to 10 percent system loss is acceptable,” he said.

Asked why BCMCL had not kept track of the system loss from before, he said, “From the beginning there was no scope to record system loss. How much do we count? Since the stock is empty, the matter came to notice,” said Habib.

“We've said everything to the investigation officer. The investigation is going on. It will not be appropriate to disclose more,” he said.

ACC's Deputy Director and investigation officer of the case Shamsul Alam declined to make any comment over the matter that is under investigation. He, however, said they will submit charge sheet soon.

The seven other BCMCL officials quizzed yesterday are: Md Abul Kashem Pradhaniya, general manager/ company secretary; Md Mosharraf Hosen Sarker, manager (exploration); Md Masudur Rahman Hawlader, manager (general services); Ashok Kumar Halder, manager (production management); Md Arifur Rahman, manager (maintenance and operation); Jahidul Islam, manager (design, construction and maintenance) and Md Ekramul Huque, deputy manager (safety management).  

Today, another nine BCMCL officials are scheduled for interrogation.