DigitEye India Fact Checkers
A news report is being shared widely on social media claiming that Bangladesh rejected and returned 63,000 tonnes of coal back to India after finding that it was soil sample, not coal. See the claim here on X:
Bangladesh shipped 63,000 tonnes of COAL back to India—turns out it was soil sample!
Indian supplier’s tricky move: pawn off dirt to a 1,200MW power plant
🇧🇩 2.0 be like:-We burn coal,not your gardening rejects.take your sh*t elsewhere,not in Bangladesh https://t.co/I3UBkYRCX8— Defence research forum DRF (@Defres360) March 23, 2025
The claim reads: “Bangladesh shipped 63,000 tonnes of COAL back to India—turns out it was soil sample! Indian supplier’s tricky move: pawn off dirt to a 1,200MW power plant 2.0 be like:-We burn coal,not your gardening rejects.take your sh*t elsewhere,not in Bangladesh.”
Another X user wrote: “Bangladesh shipped back 63K tonnes of ‘coal’—just soil! An Indian supplier scammed a 1,200MW plant, draining our dollars for years. Adani & Co. thrived under Hasina, dumping dirt on us. We demand real fuel, not gardening rejects—time for accountability and energy justice!”
These claims can be accessed here and here.
FACT-CHECK
When Digiteye India team checked for authenticity of the news, it was found that the news was true and published here and here.
The Coal Power Generation Company Limited (CPGCL) of Bangladesh has rejected a shipment of 63,000 tonnes of coal after detecting a significant presence of soil in the consignment meant for the Matarbari Power Plant in Cox’s Bazar.
The Business Standard quoted Nazmul Huq, executive director at Matarbari coal-fired plant project as saying, “We declined to receive the shipment and issued an official letter to the supplier on Friday.” Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) sources confirmed that the coal-laden vessel was sent back to the outer anchorage following instructions from CPGCL and the shipping company handling the cargo.
However, the coal, transported aboard the Singapore-flagged MV Orient Orchid, which entered the Matarbari Channel on 17 March, originated from Indonesia and not India, as claimed. It was India’s Meghna Group of Companies which has “sourced” the coal from Indonesia to supply it to Bangladesh’s CPCGL.
Hence, reports stating Bangladesh sent coal ‘back to India’ are misleading. The coal, originating from Indonesia, was moved to the outer anchorage, not India. However, it was an Indian company that handled the transport, but the coal’s origin and destination were not India.
Hence, the claim is misleading.
Claim: Bangladesh has rejected a shipment of 63,000 tonnes of coal after detecting a significant presence of soil in the consignment.
Conclusion: Misleading. The coal, originating from Indonesia, was moved to the outer anchorage of Bangladesh and not returned to India as claimed. However, it was an Indian company that handled the transport.
Rating: Misleading — 
