Desk Report
Many roadside trees from Dhaka Airport bus stand to Jasimuddin point of Uttara are being fallen. However, speculation grows over which authority, for what reason and who is chopping down the trees. Both Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Roads and Highways Department (RHD) officials claim none of them are cutting those down, reports Asian Age.
DNCC points finger at RHD while the department claims DNCC are logging the tress for U-tern project. Meantime, Iskander Timbers – who got the work order for flattening the trees – said Forest Department Dhaka office floated the tender. The enterprise also claimed RHD is logging the roadside trees for widening the road.
The Asian Age could not manage comment from forest officials of Dhaka office. During a recent visit in the area, it was found that workers are logging the trees on the median of the road. After chopping down, the branches were trimmed and later those were taken away along with the logs.
Owner of the Iskander Timbers Md Firoz said his enterprise has the work order to flatten trees at Jasimuddin bus stand area, which has nearly 200 trees. He claimed those were fallen for widening the road. Meantime, locals said lampposts were set up just a few days ago on the footpath where the trees were.
If the road was planned to widen, why the lampposts were set up, they questioned.
“The trees are being logged one after another in the name of development. Once these trees will be chopped down, there will be no greenery in this area,” a pedestrian vented anger.
Dhaka North’s U-tern project director Engineer Khondoker Mahbub Alam regarding the issue said: “I don’t know why those trees are being flattened. My project has already managed its space and the construction work is already going on.”
He, however, said RHD could have cut off those plants. While contacted, RHD Dhaka zonal chief engineer Md Abdus Sabur washed of his hands saying his office was not felling any tree. It could have been the city corporation.
While asked about the work order according to the logging enterprise, MdSabur categorically said: “The enterprise may provide misinformation.