Dhaka: Madhyapara Granite Mining Company Limited (MGMCL) has achieved a record extraction of 13.92 lakh metric tons of stone within the past eight months, significantly surpassing its monthly extraction target. “This is the highest-ever extraction volume recorded at Madhyapara hard rock mine,” stated MGMCL Managing Director DM Jobayed Hossain.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, under the second-phase agreement with the Germania-Trest Consortium (GTC) signed on September 3, 2021, the monthly extraction target was set at 1.24 lakh metric tons. However, in the past eight months alone, GTC extracted an additional 4 lakh metric tons beyond the target. Madhyapara, located at Parbatipur upazila in Dinajpur, is the country’s only underground hard rock mine.
The increased extraction has allowed MGMCL to turn a profit and has played a significant role in reducing the need for imports, thereby saving foreign exchange. Mining activities have continued at a rapid pace, contributing to national infrastructure development and socioeconomic progress. Industry experts believe that with support from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and other authorities, GTC can further contribute to national development.
The stones extracted from Madhyapara are mainly used in key infrastructure projects, including roads, railways, ports, and the power sector. Under the operation of Petrobangla, MGMCL is responsible for marketing the extracted stones. Bangladesh’s annual demand for stone is estimated at approximately 2.16 crore tons, but the Madhyapara mine contributes only about 15 lakh metric tons annually. Various logistical and market constraints mean that only 9 lakh tons are sold each year.
Mine authorities have indicated that multiple sizes of stones are being produced at the facility, including stone dust, 5-20mm, 20-40mm, blast size, 60-80mm, and boulder size. However, the mine does not produce the 8-12mm size commonly used in construction across the country.
During the previous government’s tenure, Bangladesh Railway imported stone from India for mega projects, leading to a decline in the use of Madhyapara’s blast stone and significant stockpiling. To counter this, MGMCL recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the West Zone of Bangladesh Railway, supplying 30,000 metric tons of blast stone to the railway authority.
The source suggests that using Madhyapara stone should be mandatory in river management projects, roads and highways, bridges, aviation, local government engineering, public works, railways, and water development board projects to save foreign exchange and develop the mine properly. As of May 31, a total of 12.32 lakh metric tons of stone were stored in the mine’s yard, including 7.80 lakh tons of blast stone and 4.52 lakh tons of boulders, mainly for railway and river training projects. In the past year, MGMCL sold 9,26,770 metric tons of stone, including 30,000 metric tons supplied to Bangladesh Railway.