BD HC orders to form Tree Cutting Permissions Committees up to root level of the Administrations
Committees to be formed at all districts, cities, and Upazila levels to obtain permission for tree cutting. A Bangladesh High Court bench, led by Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Mubina Asaf, issued a verdict on Today (January 27) following the final hearing of a writ.
The court stated that as temperatures rise, it’s essential to preserve more trees. If trees are cut down extensively, our environmental balance will be destroyed, which will undermine the right to survive. The country lacks enough trees to maintain environmental balance, making tree protection essential.
After the verdict, the lawyer for the writ petitioners, Manzil Morshed, told Prothom Alo that the Honorable High Court has ordered the formation of committees at Dhaka city, other districts, cities and Upazila levels to obtain permission for cutting trees. Without the permission of this committee, trees cannot be cut in Dhaka city, other districts, cities and Upazila levels. However, the issue of cutting privately owned trees in rural areas will not come under this.
Based on news published in newspapers titled ‘the Forest Department plans to cut over 2,000 trees in Jessore,’ three lawyers from the Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) filed a writ on May 5 of last year.
On May 7 of last year, the initial hearing of the writ took place. The rule requires the establishment of separate committees in Dhaka city, Districts, and Upazila of the country to oversee tree cutting for environmental protection. It highlights the lack of action against tree cutting across the country, excluding private trees, and urges measures to protect trees in Dhaka. The ruling was declared absolute and was delivered today (January 267).
Senior lawyer Manjil Morshed argued the writ petition in court, assisted by lawyers Sanjay Mondal and Selim Reza. Deputy Attorney General Mahfuz Bin Yusuf, Shafiqur Rahman and Assistant Attorney General Ikramul Kabir appeared for the state.
After the verdict, Deputy Attorney General Shafiqur Rahman told the Journalists that tenders were invited for cutting trees on roads in Jessore. The court has observed that those who deposited money and got the work will be refunded.
How the committee will be formed
Manjil Morshed, the lead lawyer for the petitioners, announced that the High Court has ordered the Department of Environment, Bangladesh, to form a committee within seven days. The committee will consist of environmentalists, experts, and professors from the Environmental Science departments of Dhaka and Jahangirnagar Universities to evaluate tree cutting requests in Dhaka.
The Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration, Bangladesh, must issue a circular within seven days to establish a district-level committee. The committee will consist of the Deputy Commissioner, District Environment Officer, a government college professor, a social worker, an environmentalist, the President or General Secretary of the District Bar Association, and the District Civil Surgeon. This committee will consider the issue of permission to cut trees at the district level, said the senior lawyer.
The Secretary of Public Administration in Bangladesh must issue a circular to all Deputy Commissioners within seven days. A committee will be formed at the Upazila level, including the Upazila Executive Officer, College Principal, Social Worker, Environmentalist, Social Welfare Officer, AC-(Land), and LGED Executive Engineers. This committee will consider the issue of permission to cut trees at the Upazila level, said senior lawyer Manzil Morshed. He said there will be a committee for Dhaka, separate committees at the district and Upazila levels. Under the 2004 Social Forestry Rules of Bangladesh, trees planted cannot be cut down. Instead, the planter must be compensated for their value. The ruling also directed to change the rules to this effect.
