Roadside trees face risk

Many private organisations and even individuals in Nilphamari hang their signboards and banners from busy roadside trees unethically to advertise either their goods or personal service.

Usually, people hang signboards and banners by hammering big nails into the tree.

Trees are regarded as the main source of oxygen and this practice will gradually cause serious infection of the trees, even leading to their death, said Prof Abdul Latif, head of Botany department at Nilphamari Government College.

“If one inserts big nails deep into a tree trunk or branch fluids containing food nutrients will come out through the wound and hamper its natural growth.”

“Different kind of bacteria, virus and rain water enter inside it through the wound and rot the affected part, which could even lead to its death,” added Prof Latif.

While visiting some important roads, including Nilphamari-Saidpur, Domar-Dimla, Dimla-Sutibari, Nilphamari-Domar and Domar-Chilahati road, this correspondent saw many giant roadside trees are covered with banners and signboards of herbal medicine practitioners, coaching centres, diagnostic clinics, school admission, travel agents and shopping centres.

“I prefer doing this because I am having a good advertisement of my service free of cost,” said marriage registrar Aftabuddin Ahmed, 60, who hung a signboard on a giant blackberry tree near Uttara EPZ in Sadar upazila.

Like him, herbal ointment seller Fateh Ali, 55, of Ambari village in Domar upazila, said he is doing nothing wrong hanging his signboard as one can easily learn about his medicine.

Most of the roadside trees across the district belong to the Zila Parishad, LGED and RHD department, but the authorities concerned seem less bothered with the problem.

Zila Parishad Engineer Rabiul Islam said, “Roadside trees are government property and causing any harm to them is a punishable offence.”

They cannot monitor the trees properly due to inadequate manpower, Rabiul added.

Emdadul Huq, convenor of Green Nature, a local voluntary environmental organisation, said, “Zila Parishad should build advertisement corners beside the busy roads for hanging banners and realise fees from the publicity seekers.”