The land subsidence affected people around Barapukuria Coal Mine Company Ltd (BCMCL) yesterday warned of an indefinite hunger strike if the remaining amount of their compensation and rehabilitation package money is not disbursed by June 17.

At a demonstration programme organised by Jibon O Shampad Rakkha Committee, a body of the affected people, at the BCMCL gate yesterday noon, speakers also threatened to suspend coal production at BCMCL if they have to start the hunger strike to realise the package money.

They urged the government to accelerate the disbursement as land prices continued going up at other places since the disbursement started in BCMCL area.

According to the villagers, the office of Dinajpur deputy commissioner distributed Tk 112crore out of Tk 190crore compensation and rehabilitation package money among the affected people since the disbursement started on September 22 last year.

Urging the government to disburse the remaining Tk 78 crore among the affected people within June 17, Md Ibrahim Khalil, convener of Jibon O Shampad Rakkha Committee, said, "If the remaining package money is not disbursed within the deadline, we will start a three-day sit-in programme at the BCMCL gate on June 18. On June 21, we will start an indefinite hunger strike."

The demonstrators also chanted slogan demanding removal of BCMCL managing director and Dinajur deputy commissioner, alleging that they are responsible for lingering disbursement of the package money.

Belal Hossain, Motiar Rahman and Emamul Haque also spoke at the programme.

When contacted, Md Jamal Uddin Ahmed, deputy commissioner of Dinajpur, said that Tk 112 crore has already been distributed among the affected people, but none of them have left the place.

He added that the distribution programme has not been suspended.