The High Court has ordered the authorities concerned not to fell trees at the Suhrawardy Udyan till May 20, while the Liberation War Affairs Ministry has decided to review the decision of tree felling at the historic site.
The High Court issued the order verbally on Tuesday (May 11) while fixing May 20 to hear a petition that sought a contempt of court ruling against Secretary of Liberation War Affairs Ministry Tapan Kanti Ghosh, Chief Engineer of Department of Public Works Md Shamim Akhter and chief architect Mir Manzur Rahman.
The HC bench of Justice Mamnoon Rahman and Justice Khandaker Diliruzzaman set the schedule after Attorney General AM Amin Uddin sought time for hearing in the contempt of court petition.
Advocate Manzil Murshed on Sunday (May 9) filed the petition on behalf of Supreme Court lawyers Mahbubul Islam and RipanBarai. In the petition, the three top government officials were mentioned as accused of felling trees at the Suhrawardy Udyan in violation of environmental law and High Court directives. The petition was filed amid the ongoing protest to protect the Suhrawardy Udyan.
The HC bench on Tuesday asked the Attorney General to tell the authorities concerned verbally not to cut down trees at the historic site of the Bangladesh War of Liberation till May 20 as the hearing will come before this court on that day.
Attorney General AM Amin Uddin told the court that no more trees were being felled right now. He, however, responded to the court’s order, saying that he would speak to the authorities concerned immediately.
Besides, a writ petition filed against cutting down trees at the historic park is pending with another HC bench. Advocate Minhazul Haque Chowdhury, a lawyer of the Supreme Court, filed the writ petition on behalf of six rights organisations and an individual person on Sunday (May 9).
The six rights organisations are Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), Bangladesh Paribesh Andolan (BAPA), Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD), Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) and Nijera Kori. The individual person is Architect Mobashsher Majumder.
Meanwhile, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huq at a press briefing at his ministry office on Tuesday said that they would review the decision of tree felling at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan.
He said that they would visit the place and talk to environment experts and urban planners in this regard after the Eid-ul-Fitr. “Fifty trees were cut down to implement the third phase of Swadhinata Stambha project and 50 more may have to be felled for the project. We will try to save as many trees as possible. We will change our plan if necessary. We will plant 1,000 trees in the historic park to compensate for it. We will find a solution on how the project can continue without hampering the environment,” he said.
Responding to a question why they did not start planting trees before cutting any tree, AKM Mozammel Huq said that they had a plan to plant trees during the rainy season and they would start tree plantation within the next month.
Responding to another question on the primary design where there was no provision of felling trees, the minister said it is unfortunate. “We will look into the matter. If the trees are cut down for the walkways despite having the option to protect them, we will take action against those involved,” he said.
Green activists and environment organisations staged protest against the tree cutting and construction of other structures at the Suhrawardy Udyan.
The Department of Architecture under the Housing and Public Works Ministry designed the third phase of the Shadhinota Stambha project at the park. The primary design of the project had no provision for cutting down trees.
Under the project, the location of the historic March 7 speech and the place where the Pakistani occupation forces surrendered and other historical events of the Liberation War took place will be preserved. Sculptures will be constructed at the places where the Pakistani army surrendered to the joint forces, and where then-Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi delivered speech after the war.
According to the project, Swadhinata Stambha plaza will be renovated and a podium for public meeting, benches and a water reservoir will be constructed there.
Walkways are being widened. Benches will be set up for the visitors. Seven food kiosks are being built for people. There will be restrooms for men, women, children and persons with disabilities, as well as rain shelters.
