The Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) has taken the initiative to cut down about 60 old trees on both sides of the road for road development work in the area adjacent to lane 17 of road number 2 of B block in Halishahar, Chittagong city.
Local residents and environmentally conscious people have expressed concern over this initiative. They demand that the road development work be completed in a planned manner while keeping the trees intact.
Local resident, builder and journalist Mukti Mahmud has taken the initiative to save the trees. According to him, on October 7, he met with Chittagong City Corporation Executive Engineer Anwar Jahan and submitted an application requesting him to complete the development work without cutting down the trees. However, he alleged that he did not receive any effective action or positive response to the application.
Mukti Mahmud alleged that later, CHSIK Deputy Assistant Engineer Noman Taslim went to the spot and ordered the trees to be cut down. It has also been claimed that several trees that were many years old have been cut down.
Application to the Department of Environment
As part of legal action to protect the trees, Mukti Mahmud also submitted a written application to the Chittagong Metropolitan Office of the Department of Environment.
The Chittagong Metropolitan Office of the Department of Environment said that the issue of cutting trees is not directly covered by the ‘Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act, 1995 (Amended 2010)’ and the ‘Environment Conservation Rules, 2023’. Therefore, the application has been sent to the Divisional Forest Officer, Chittagong North Forest Division, Nandankanan Office for necessary information and further action.
This information was given in an official letter signed by Sonia Sultana, Director of the Department of Environment.
Demand for environmentally friendly development to protect trees
According to local residents and environmentally conscious citizens, the old trees play an important role in combating the intense heat of Chittagong city, providing shade, and maintaining the balance of the environment. They fear that cutting down these trees could have a negative impact on the environment of the area.
While they do not deny the need for road development, they urge that tree felling should not be considered the only solution. They demand that alternative designs be formulated taking into account the location of the trees and that development work be carried out in a way that minimizes environmental damage.
In this situation, locals have demanded a halt to tree felling, a reconsideration of the issue, and development of the road in an environmentally friendly manner.