Engr. Abul KM Shamsuddin worked as “Project Director”, Maddhapara Hard Rock Mining Project of Petrobangla during 1994-1995. Engr. Shamsuddin supervised the construction & development work of Maddhapara Hard Rock Mine as per contract between Petrobangla & NAMNAM [Korea South-South Cooperation Corporation], a Mineral Development Corporation of North Korea [DPRK].
- Maddhapara Hard Rock Mine, located in the Parbatipur Upazilla under Dinajpur District of Bangladesh, is the First Underground Hard Rock Mine of the World.
- In 1974, Geological Survey of Bangladesh (GSB) discovered Hard Rock [Granite, Granodiorite, Gneiss] at a depth ranging from 136m to 152m below the surface at Maddhapara, Dinajpur.
- Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC), Govt. of Bangladesh, approved Project Proforma (PP) of Hard Rock Mining Project in 1978. A contract was signed in March 1994 between Petrobangla and NAMNAM (Korea South-South Cooperation Corporation, DPRK) to develop Maddhapara Hard Rock Mine. Engr Abul KM Shamsuddin, General Manager, Mineral Exploration Division, PETROBANGLA, was appointed as “Project Director” to supervise the Construction & Development Work of Maddhapara Hard Rock Mine in December 1994 as per contract between Petrobangla and NAMNAM (Korea South-South Cooperation Corporation) of North Korea [DPRK].
- Objective of PETROBANGLA-NAMNAM contract was to produce 1.65 million tons of hard rock annually to meet the growing demand of boulders, crushed stone, concrete blocks and stone dust for usage in the river embankments, railways, and construction of high rise and multistoried buildings, roads and highways, etc. Size of mining concession was 1.0 km in the strike direction and 1.20 km in the dip direction. Its area was 1.2 sq. km. Indicated and measured reserves of stone amounts to approximately 201.60 million metric tons. Average daily production was 3,500 metric tons with a designed annual capacity of 1.65 million tons (5,500 mt/per day).
- After conclusion of NAMNAM work in 2010, another contract was signed with Germania-Trest Consortium (GTC), for the management of production, maintenance, development and provisioning services of the mine to realize the production target.
- At present in 2019 – Petrobangla/Maddhapara Granite Mining Company Ltd (MGMCL) is planning to increase the production by expanding the Mine to meet the growing demand of the Nation.
is seen at extreme left. Engr Ehsanullah, Director Mines Petrobangla is on 1st left.
Engr Abul KM Shamsuddin (left) & Engr Ehsanullah (right) are seen.
Engr. Md. Ehsanullah (left) to explore training of Maddhapara Project people at Kimchaek University.
