By Ruma Paul

DHAKA, June 21 (Reuters) UK-based coal miner Asia Energy Plc said on Wednesday its proposed Bangladesh coal project would contribute an estimated .5 billion to the country's gross domestic product (GDP) and .9 billion to gross national income (GNI) over the project's 30 years of life.

Cumulative net foreign exchange earnings from the project would be billion, and the direct Government earnings could exceed billion, the company said, quoting a new study by Dr AKM Atiqur Rahman, a Bangladesh economist.

The upbeat estimates were released as Bangladeshi environment and nature protection groups, as well as people likely to be displaced by the mining, have been protesting against the project.

The Phulbari project is a 15 million tonne per annum open-pit coal mine in northwest Bangladesh, where Asia Energy also plans to double the capacity of a 500 megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant.

It is waiting final government approval to commence mining operations.

Asia Energy intends to spend an estimated