Dhaka Bureau: The High Court has asked why there will be no order to form a committee to control the cutting of trees across the country to protect the environment. Tuesday (May 7) was the preliminary hearing of a writ petition. A bench of Justice Khasruzzaman and Justice KM Zahid Sarwar issued the ruling.
“Recently, trees are being cut down in various areas despite the excessive increase in temperature, and people’s lives are suffering in the summer.” On May 5, the human rights and environmentalist organization ‘Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh’ (HRPB) filed this writ petition in the public interest.
Tuesday was fixed for hearing the application on Monday (May 6) for an order. Advocate Monzil Morsed heard the written petition.
He said that to implement the government’s pledge to protect the environment, it is necessary to take measures to stop the cutting of trees everywhere. From the way reports are being published in various media, it seems that a festival of tree-cutting is going on.
After the hearing, the ruling was issued, and the defendants were asked to respond on several issues within two weeks.
1. Why the inaction of the defendants to take measures to stop the felling of trees (except privately owned trees) across the country should not be declared illegal.
2. Why not be instructed to stop tree cutting in Dhaka city and other districts and upazila cities?
3. Why should the provisions of the Social Forestry Rules 2004 not be directed to attach the provision of payment to the contracting parties for planting trees?
4. Why not instruct the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Climate Change to form a seven-member committee consisting of environmentalists, environmental scientists, and professors of environmental science departments at Dhaka University and Jahangirnagar University within 7 days to control tree felling?
5. The Ministry of Public Administration issued a circular within 7 days to stop the felling of trees and why the committee consisting of the District Environment Officer, Government College Principal, Social Worker, Environmentalist, President/Secretary of the District Lawyers Association, and Civil Surgeon should not be directed.
6. The Ministry of Public Administration issued a circular within 7 days to stop tree cutting under the leadership of Upazila Nirbahi Officer. Why not order the formation of a committee consisting of the college principal, social worker, environmentalist, social welfare officer, assistant commissioner (land), and executive engineer of LGED?
7. Why should the defendants not be directed to take appropriate measures to ensure that no trees are cut in their respective areas until the committee is formed?
The writ petitioners on behalf of HPRB are Advocate Md. Charwar Ahad Chowdhury, Advocate Md. Ekhlach Uddin Bhuiyan, and Advocate Ripon Barai.
The defendants are Cabinet Division Secretary, Prime Minister’s Office Chief Secretary, Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Ministry Secretary, Local Government Ministry Secretary, Public Administration Ministry Senior Secretary, Road Transport and Highways Department Secretary, Environment Department Director General; Two Mayors and two Chief Executive Officers of Dhaka North and South City Corporation; Chief Engineer of LGED; Chief Forest Conservator; Chief Engineer of Road Highway Department; and Inspector General of Bangladesh Police.
Advocate Manzil Morsed was assisted in the hearing by Advocate Sanjay Mondal, Advocate Nashreen Sultana, and Advocate Salim Reza. The Assistant Attorney General was on behalf of the state. Rezaul Haque
