The government’s renewed discussion on open-pit coal mining in Bangladesh has brought the Phulbari coalfield back into the national spotlight. While the country is struggling with energy insecurity and a heavy dependence on imported coal, any decision to exploit domestic coal must be guided by a broader understanding of its environmental, ecological, agricultural and economic consequences. In the case of Phulbari, the potential costs of open-pit mining are simply too serious to be treated as a narrow energy policy issue.
There is no denying that Bangladesh needs reliable and affordable energy. The country imports millions of tonnes of coal every year to operate its coal-fired power plants, putting pressure on foreign exchange reserves and exposing the economy to international price volatility. Domestic coal may therefore appear to offer an attractive solution. But energy security cannot be measured only by how many tonnes of imported coal can be replaced.
Phulbari is situated in one of the country’s important agricultural regions, particularly known for rice production. The northern region plays a significant role in ensuring national food security, and the agricultural land around Phulbari supports the livelihoods of thousands of farming families. Turning a large area into an open-pit mine could permanently disrupt agricultural production and threaten the economic foundation of local communities.
The most serious concern, however, relates to groundwater and the aquifer system. Open-pit mining requires extensive excavation and the removal or management of groundwater to keep the mine operational. Such intervention could have far-reaching consequences for groundwater availability, agriculture, ecosystems and household water supplies. If the aquifer system is severely disturbed, the consequences could extend well beyond the mining site and affect surrounding areas for years or even decades.
The social consequences also cannot be ignored. Large-scale mining may require the displacement or relocation of communities, affecting homes, farmland, businesses, schools and social networks. Compensation alone cannot adequately replace an established way of life. Development that forces thousands of people to surrender their land and livelihoods must therefore face an exceptionally high standard of scrutiny.
The government must also consider the full economic cost of the project. The value of coal extracted cannot be compared simply with the cost of mining. The loss of agricultural production, groundwater, ecosystems, settlements and livelihoods must be incorporated into any credible cost-benefit analysis. A project that appears profitable when only coal revenue is counted could become economically damaging once these hidden costs are included.
Therefore, the government should rethink the proposal for open-pit coal mining at Phulbari. Before taking any decision, it should commission independent, transparent and comprehensive environmental, hydrological, agricultural, social and economic assessments and make the findings public. Most importantly, local communities must have a meaningful voice in the process.
Bangladesh needs energy security, but it also needs food security, water security and environmental security. As a densely populated country with limited land and natural resources, we cannot afford an energy solution that creates irreversible damage elsewhere. Phulbari should remind policymakers that true development is not about extracting the maximum resource—it is about protecting the maximum public interest.
