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.

The High Court on Sunday rejected a writ petition against tree felling  at historical Suhrawardy Udyan for installation of commercial establishments. The virtual bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and SM Maniruzzaman turned down the petition.  Lawyer Syeda Rizwana Hasan presented the petitioners while Additional Attorney General Sheikh Mohammad Morshed stood for the state.  “This is one of the mega projects of the government and no establishment will be built there on commercial basis. The government is implementing the HC directive issued in 2009,” Said Additional Attorney General Sheikh Mohammad Morshed.  Also read: Writ petition filed against tree cutting at Suhrawardy Udyan The project is being implemented according to the report of a 6-member committee formed in this regard , the project is being implemented without harming the environment, he said. Earlier, on September 13 the court fixed today for final hearing on the writ.  On May 9, six organisations and an individual filed the writ petition to stop tree cutting at Suhrawardy Udyan. Also read: No tree to be felled unnecessarily at Suhrawardy Udyan: Project Director The petitioners are - Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), Association for Land Reforms and Development (ALRD), Nijera Kori, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) and architect Mobassher Hossain. The petitioners also sought issuance of a rule seeking explanation as to why cutting of ancient and historic trees at Suhrawardy Udyan on the pretext of constructing monument of independence will not be announced illegal and unconstitutional, why construction of commercial establishments going beyond the main design will not be declared illegal and why directive should not be given to evict the already constructed establishments.  Dhaka South City Corporation  Mayor , Secretaries to the  Ministry of Housing and Public Works, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and  the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, Chief  Forest Conservator, RAJUK chairman ,Director General of  Environment Department and Chief engineer of Department of Public Works were made respondents to the rule.