Environmentalists and residents have raised serious concern over a recent move by Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) to cut 46 century-old trees and hill slopes from Tiger Pass to CRB area for the construction of a ramp of the elevated expressway. Earlier in 2022, the government bid to construct a private hospital in CRB area was halted amid strong movement of the port city residents and green activists. The CRB area, that takes its name from the Central Railway Building - built by the British colonial administration in 1872 as the headquarters of the Assam-Bengal Railway - is a scenic, hilly quarter of the Port City known for its Shireesh trees (Albizia Lebeck) Surrounded by centuries-old trees, hills, hills and valleys, this area is home to a variety of species of birds and animals. Chattogram residents celebrate the Bengali New Year on April 14 every year on an open stage called "Shireeshtala" at CRB area. CRB also hosts the famed "Boli Khela", an annual freehand wrestling challenge that draws competitors from far and wide. Read more: No cutting trees without permission in DNCC areas: Atiqul Islam Environmentalists and civil society members fear that felling of trees and destruction of hills will cause environmental disaster. Sources said CDA has already applied to the Forest Department and Bangladesh Railway for permission to fell trees and the trees that will be cut have already been marked. Meanwhile, environmentalists and civil society representatives have called the decision "irresponsible" and requested the CDA to find an alternative plan for the construction of the ramp. Ritu Parvin, an official of green organisation Environmental Movement Green Fingers Bangladesh, said, “CRB is marked as a heritage area. Bangladesh Railway wanted to build a hospital there, but the railway authority backed tracked due to people's agitation. No construction will be allowed in the CRB area and its surrounding areas which will destroy the environment. We will also stage protest. Already we have announced the sit-in programme at CRB on Monday.” Read more: Plant more trees to protect environment: Environment Minister According to the Bangladesh Railway, the Tiger Pass road was built on the hill slope to connect CRB and polo ground with the port area of Chittagong during the British period. It is known as a double decker road to locals. The slope of the hill has been kept as a divider of this road. Hundreds of small and big trees were planted in the road division. Some trees are over 100 years old which are abode of many birds. The construction of the 16 km long elevated expressway from Lalkhan Bazar to the airport at a cost of Tk 4,298 crore is in the final stage. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the expressway in November last year. But it has not yet been opened to traffic. The duration of the project has been extended till June 2024 as the work could not be completed on time. Journalist Mohsin Kazi, Joint Secretary General of Civil Society Chittagong, said that CDA must consider an alternative to build ramps instead of cutting trees by damaging the environment. “If any government organisation tries to cut the trees we will again start movement.” According to CDA officials, among the 14 ramps of the expressway, one will be constructed at GEC junction, two at Tiger Pass, four at Agrabad, one at Fakirhat, two at Nimtala, two at CEPZ and two at KEPZ. One of the two ramps at the Tiger Pass intersection will be on the New Market-bound road via CRB, while the other will be on the Ambagan-bound road. CDA sent a letter to the Bangladesh Railway on March 25 seeking permission to use 14 decimal land for its construction. Kazi Hasan bin Shams, Chief Engineer of CDA, said that the ramp will be constructed in the CRB area with utmost importance to the environment. “It will not have any impact on the environment if the trees are cut to build the ramp. While 46 trees are planned to be cut for the construction of the ramp, more trees will be planted. The ramp will be constructed in the national interest without damaging the double-decker road on the hill slopes.” Md. Sujan, chief estate officer of Railway Eastern Zone said, CDA has sought permission to use the land. “We have a seven-member departmental committee which will visit the area before approval. How much land is there, how many trees are there, whether the trees will be cut - the departmental committee will check all the issues and give a report. Then it will be sent to headquarters for approval.” Read more: WFWP-ULAB organises events to inspire youth to plant trees

Police on Sunday foiled an attempt of some demonstrators to lay siege to Nagar Bhaban, the Dhaka South City Corporation’s headquarters, protesting its decision to cut down trees in Dhanmondi’s Saat Masjid Road in the capital. Around 200 people took part in a possession under the banner of Saat Masjid Gaach Rakkha Andolan (Movement to protect trees on Dhanmondi’s Saat Masjid Road) in the morning, said our correspondent from the spot. The progamme was announced from a press conference on Saturday by Saat Masjid Gaach Rakkha Andolan to protest felling of trees by DSCC in Dhanmondi’s Saat Masjid Road in the name of development. As part of the programme, the protesters gathered at Shahbag’s Doyel Chattar on Sunday morning. Various cultural and environmental organizations including Poribesh Bachao Andolon (Poba, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers’ Association (BELA) and people from different walks of life joined the possession. The protesters left Doyel Chattar in Shahbagh at 11:30am to lay a siege to Nagar Bhaban to press home their 4-point demand. However, when they reached Bangabazar intersection in Dhaka’s Gulistan area, police obstructed them from moving forward, Alamgir Kabir, the general secretary of Poribesh Bachao Andolan (PoBa) told UNB.

Suhrawardy Udyan is often described as Dhaka's oxygen bank due to a lush canopy of trees. But the historic park seems to be under threat, having already lost a major portion of its green cover to an ongoing redevelopment project. While authorities claim the project was undertaken to beautify Suhrawardy Udyan, citizens and green activists say trees are being chopped to make way for concrete structures on the pretext of beautification of the park. The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs and the Ministry of Housing and Public Works are jointly implementing the development project worth Tk 265.44 crore. The project kicked off on 1 January 2018, with June 2022 being the completion deadline. Read Trees become victims of ‘personal feud’ in Magura Under the project, the government will construct a 6.5km walkway and seven food courts on the premises of the park. National Development Engineers Ltd has won the contract to execute the project. However, different environmental organisations and regular visitors to the park, including students of Dhaka University, have of late intensified their protest against what they claim is the destruction of the park that is home to a variety of birds and animals.

A man has accused his rivals of cutting down 250 banana and Mehagni trees in Derua village in Magura Sadar Upazila on early Thursday.