A protest rally was held against the felling of trees on Satmasjid Road in Dhanmondi in the capital in the name of road development. The rally took place at 5:30pm on Sunday, and several demands were made to protect the trees.

The demands were: stop cutting trees and quickly plant saplings of native species where trees have been cut; develop the traffic islands while keeping the trees on the road dividers; and stop destroying trees in the name of development.

Speakers at the rally, organised by Green Voice, said the felling of trees on Dhanmondi roads was not stopping. Many trees on Dhanmondi's Satmasjid Road have been cut, and more are standing under the threat of a death sentence, they said. A contractor appointed by Dhaka South City Corporation is felling trees on Satmasjid Road to develop the traffic islands and road dividers.

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, chief executive of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), told the rally: "A city corporation that does not understand the meaning of trees or the value of trees is not ours."

The rally was chaired by Green Voice chief coordinator Alamgir Kabir and moderated by Green Voice co-coordinator Humayun Kabir Sumon.

Alamgir Kabir said 7 May is Natural Oxygen Protection Day. The main purpose of the day is to make people aware of protecting trees and of the role trees play in protecting the environment. It is observed on 7 May every year to raise awareness about saving trees, he said.

Others who spoke included playwright and actor Mamunur Rashid, former student leader and writer Rustam Ali Khokon, BAPA joint secretary Mihir Biswas, Shirin Akhter of Naripokkho, Satmasjid Road tree protection movement coordinator Amirul Rajib, climate change policy analyst Zakir Hossain, BAPA executive committee members Dr Mahbub Hapsen and Ibnul Sayeed Rana, Mahmuda Dipa of Poribesh Bikkhon, Tamzid Haider Chanchal of Chhatra Union, development worker Fazila Khanam and political activist Manisha Majumder.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.