Indiscriminate cutting of trees threatening the environment of Rajshahi district, Bangladesh
A human chain took place in Rajshahi district to protest against the destruction of nature by cutting down trees. Bangladesh Paribesh Andolan-BAPA (Bangladesh Environment Movement) organized the program at Sahebbazar Zero Point of Rajshahi town in the afternoon on September 30, 2021.
Jamat Khan, President of BAPA Rajshahi District Committee and General Secretary of Rajshahi Raksha Sangram Parishad, Selina Begum, Vice President of BAPA, Sufia Hasan, Former Vice Chairman, Golam Nabi, Founder President of Eligible Youth, Al Amin, Organizing Secretary of Livestock Society, Helen Khan, Women leader, Zahid Hasan, office secretary of BAPA, KM Jobaid, publicity secretary of BAPA among others addressed the gathering.
The speakers said that trees are being cut unplanned in the name of development in Rajshahi. The trees are getting cut down by highly educated people who are always close to power. As a result, the region could soon turn into a desert.
The speakers further said that several ancient and traditional trees, including Arjun inside the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, have been cut down to construct a drain on September 4, 2021. Moreover, Hundreds of birds died due to this incidence.
In April 2019, more than 50 traditional ancient trees in the Rajshahi Central Jail area cutting down to build a prison training academy in Rajshahi. Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) cut down 15 old trees on September 15, 2021.
The Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) has recently cut down about 1000 trees showing living trees as dead trees at Nichole in Chapainawaganj. Besides, trees cutting down in Puthia Upazila Parishad premises. If the cutting of trees does not stop immediately, there is a danger that the area will become uninhabitable.
During the human chain, Jamaat Khan, President of the BAPA Rajshahi district committee, said that BMDA had turned the Barind region into a desert by drawing groundwater in the last 25 years. Now they are destroying nature and started looting.
In the Barind region, the autonomous body of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Agriculture (Bangladesh) has become a thorn in the side of the people. Chapainawabganj’s Nichole has never seen such a large-scale clearing of trees, and the reasons given for it are tenuous at best.
Besides, trees got uprooted for personal gain in Puthia with the connivance of a class of dishonest public representatives and officials. Destruction of life and nature is also going on there.
Jamaat Khan said that even though the Prime Minister discouraged the destruction of trees, the government officials themselves are not abiding by it. He announced that a strong movement would form if they failed to take legal action against the accused immediately.
