After six decades, exploration activities began again in the country's first ever known iron mine at Bhelamari field in Chhoto Paharpur village of Shanerhat union under Pirganj upazila of Rangpur on Saturday.  Photo: BSS

RANGPUR, Feb 1, 2026 (BSS) - After six decades, exploration activities began again in the country's first ever known iron mine at Bhelamari field in Chhoto Paharpur village of Shanerhat union under Pirganj upazila of Rangpur on Saturday. 
 

Secretary of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Mohammad Saiful Islam inaugurated the “Geological Well Drilling (GDH-79/2025)” exploration activities in a function held there as the chief guest. 
 

The Geological Survey of Bangladesh (GSB) under the Energy and Mineral Resources Division organized the programme. 
 

The Director General (Additional Secretary) of the Geological Survey of Bangladesh Md Abdul Mannan, Deputy Director General Engineer Ali Akbar and Pirganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Most Popi Khatun also spoke at the event.
 

At this time, Shanerhat union parishad Chairman Mesbahur Rahman, Managing Director of Pashchimanchal Gas Company and Managing Director of Maddhapara Granite Mining Company Limited and other senior officials were present. 
 

According to official sources, the Department of Mineral Resources of the then Pakistan government made the initial discovery of the first mine in Bhelamari field of Shanerhat and Mithipur unions in 1965. 
 

At that time, four wells were dug to identify the mine and poured concrete which is still visible today. 
 

On September 6, 1965, immediately after the Indo-Pak war, a group of officials of the Department of Mineral Resources of the then Pakistan government came to the field with an area of six square kilometers after obtaining information through satellite images. 
 

The mineral scientists of that time confirmed the source of iron ore there and marked the area with concrete by pouring concrete at the mouth of the mine in Bhelamari field and completed the initial survey work of the area. 
 
After that, there were talks of starting mining activities at various times, but in reality, it did not come to fruition. 
 

Finally, after a long 60 years, the exploration activities were officially inaugurated on Saturday in that mine (Geological Well Drilling (GDH-79/2025). 
 

After the inauguration, Secretary Mohammad Saiful Islam said that the people of the northern part of the country are generous, which is why God has given mineral resources underground in this area. 
 

“The government will help in extracting the mineral resources that will be found here. This is not 
an ordinary matter, it is the dream of the nation,” he said.
 

Deputy Director General of GSB Engineer Akbar Ali said that this mine had been excavated once before. It is called EDS-15, we got some information there. 
 

After independence, a well named GDH-54 was dug in 2000 and a survey was conducted to know the underground condition. 
 

Later, in 2023, another well named 78/23 was dug in Kashimpur village of the nearby Mithipur union in the same upazila when some mineral resources were found there. This year, a depth of 1,200 meters will be dug. 
 

He said, “After confirming the resources, if it is known that there is a sufficient amount of resources, the income will be more than the cost, then we will request the government to extract the mineral resources from the mine.” 
 

The basement here is high, so there may be metallic minerals such as iron, copper, nickel, manganese and even gold. 
 
“However, we will have to wait until the investigation is completed to know the exact details,” he said.