A number of students alleged that the authorities are cutting down trees and turning the university into a concrete jungle and they are taking advantage of the state of emergency in the country when the students cannot protest of hold demonstrations against this.

DU authorities yesterday felled a number of trees including two large ones at Selim Chattor, an open space next to Modhu's Canteen. Sources said at least 20 trees would have to be chopped down to build the new faculty building.

Earlier this month, DU authorities felled six to 10 trees at Central Shaheed Minar next to Science-annex Building where the construction of Mathematics Department Building is supposed to start.

Proctor Prof AKA Firoz Ahmed said a building for social science faculty is most needed, as the Arts Faculty Building (Kala Bhaban) cannot accommodate all departments of arts and social science faculties.

"For the construction of the building, it is natural that trees will have to be cut down and more trees will be planted around the building after the construction work is completed," he said.

The construction work of the Social Science Faculty Building is to begin this month, Prof Harun-Or-Rashid, dean of Social Science Faculty, said.

The construction will be completed in two phases. In the first phase, only two floors will be completed so that the departments under the faculty could start having classes there. In the second phase, the rest 10 storeys will be built, he said.

"The plan is to complete two floors first to overcome the acute classroom shortages and then finish the rest of the work. The building will take one year at the most to complete," Harun added.