A formal notice declaring the closure was issued on Sunday night to ensure the safety of workers.

Under the German contractor Germania-Trest Consortium (GTC), workers extract rock from deep underground in three shifts every day. The mine produces an average of 5,000 metric tonnes of rock daily.

Following the strong tremors felt across the country last Friday and Saturday,including multiple jolts in quick succession that triggered widespread panic, the authorities reviewed safety concerns. Acting on Petrobangla’s directive, the mine was shut down from 10pm on Sunday during the second shift that began at 3pm.

Sources said that it may take three to four days for operations to resume, as technical teams will assess the underground infrastructure and determine whether the recent earthquakes have caused any risks or structural vulnerabilities.

“We have suspended operations to prevent any possible accident or hazardous situation,” MD Zobaid Hossain said.“If everything is found safe, production will resume within the next few days.”