CMC emerges as lone bidder for Barapukuria coal extraction

The CMC consortium is the lone bidder for future coal extraction and management of the Barapukuria coalmine.

State-owned Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Limited had floated international bid in December last year and extended bid submission deadline to have good response from prospective bidders, said a senior power ministry official.

But the China National Import and Export Corporation or CMC consortium emerged as the lone bidder for management, production and maintenance of the Barapukuria coalmine much to the discomfort of the government.

The CMC consortium had earlier sought extension of their contract but the BCMCL was not interested to extend it, said a company insider.

"We have received a single bid from the Chinese consortium," BCMCL Managing Director Md Kamruzzaman said.

If selected finally, the CMC consortium would require continuing operation on the fully mechanised long wall retreat pillarless system of mining, using multi-slicing extraction techniques with the production capacity of 1.0 million tonnes of coal per year.