The High Court on Tuesday ordered taking prior permission from the authorities concerned for felling trees. The HC bench of Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Mubina Asaf passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed over the issue. The court also asked Senior Secretary of the Public Administration Ministry to form a committee within seven days for taking permission for cutting trees at district level. The committee should comprise an environmentalist, environment expert, professors of the Department of Environmental Science from Dhaka University and Jahangirnagar University. High Court rejects ex-NBR Official Matiur’s writ petition to travel abroad Deputy Commissioners, District Environment officer, professor of a government college, social worker, environmentalist, president of general secretary of the District Bar Association and District Civil Surgeons must be included in the committee . In case of upazila level, the court also asked the senior secretary of the Public Administration to issue another circular to the deputy commissioners to form another committee within seven days with the Upazila Nirbahi Officers, professors of the government colleges, social worker, environmentalist, Social Worker officer, Assistant Commissioner (land) and executive engineers of LGED. Besides, according to the Social Forestry Rules 2004, trees planted under this programme cannot be cut down and instead an amount equivalent to the value of the trees must be paid to the owner of the plant. Immunity provision in quick rental act illegal: High Court The court also provided instructions to amend the Social Forestry Rules accordingly. In its observation, the court said as temperatures continue to rise in the country, it is essential to preserve more trees. Widespread deforestation will disrupt the balance of our environment, undermining our right to live. The court further said that Bangladesh does not have the necessary number of trees required to maintain environmental balance and protecting these trees is critically important for the environment. On May 5, 2024, a rights organisation named Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), filed a writ petition seeking steps to stop pollution. High Court scraps 11 cases against Khaleda Zia On May 7, last year, the High Court issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why trees cutting in two cities of Dhaka, district and upazila level, should not be declared contradictory to the human rights and why seven-member committee should not be formed in all levels to give permission for cutting 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.

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.