Explosives Shortage Halts Stone Extraction at Madhyapara Mine

Stone extraction at the Madhyapara Hard Rock Mine in Dinajpur has been suspended for over a month due to a critical shortage of ammonium nitrate explosives. Mine authorities attribute the delay to global shipping bottlenecks but expect operations to resume in the first week of July.

Underground extraction halted on May 19. While authorities initially assured workers that operations would restart within 15 days, the deadline passed without resolution. The Madhyapara Granite Mining Company Limited (MGMCL) is responsible for supplying the explosives, but delays in procurement forced the shutdown.

This is not an isolated incident. Explosives shortages similarly halted extraction in 2022 and 2025. Production also faced suspensions in 2014 (22 days), 2015 (two months), and 2018 (seven days).

Commercial operations at Madhyapara—Bangladesh’s only underground stone mine—began in 2007. Currently, the Germania Trust Consortium (GTC) manages extraction and maintenance. Under normal conditions, 800 workers operate across three shifts to extract an average of 5,500 metric tons of stone daily. GTC confirmed that routine mine maintenance continues despite the pause in extraction.

MGMCL Managing Director Md. Amjad Hossain explained that ammonium nitrate, a highly specialized and restricted product, must be imported by sea. Global supply chain disruptions delayed the arrival of the necessary cargo ships.

"The ship is currently passing through Singapore and will reach Chattogram port in a few days," Hossain said. "Hopefully, we can resume stone extraction in the first week of July."

The mine has placed an order for 300 metric tons of ammonium nitrate. An initial shipment of 88 metric tons will arrive first, providing enough supply for roughly two and a half months of production. The remaining explosives will arrive in phases, as safety regulations prohibit the long-term storage of such highly volatile materials.

While extraction is paused, existing stone stockpiles are still being sold. However, authorities note that sales have dipped slightly due to a depleted inventory of specific stone grades.