Road expansion at the cost of 298 trees
While Dinajpur residents are grappling with the sweltering heat amid mercury soaring between 39 and 41 degrees Celsius, at least 298 trees, all around 35 years old, are being felled for road expansion work in Bochaganj upazila.
The move has drawn flak from locals and environmental activists.
According to them, the Bochaganj upazila parishad had planted the trees of numerous species -- Mahogany, Bakail, Pakur, Kadam, Krishnachura, Jackfruit, Mango, and Kamranga -- along the road adjacent to the Roads and Highways Department's office in 1990, as part of an initiative to beautify the road.
However, the upazila parishad in February auctioned off 298 trees for felling to expand the road along Puliharhat Bazar, Madhabpur, Dak Bangalow Auditorium Mor, Jalgaon, and Bakultala areas, and issued order on April 16 to commence the work.
Since then, half of the trees have already been cut.
Expressing dismay, locals alleged that even the trees that were further away from the roadside have also been felled.
"These decades-old trees on the roadside have been providing much shade to the pedestrians. Why would the trees that are far from the road be considered for felling? The authorities don't pay heed to our protests, and are carrying out their mindless act," said Montajul Islam, a local resident.
Rasel Islam, another local, said so far, around 150 trees have already been cut.
Contacted, Anwar Hossain, proprietor of contractor firm Anwar Enterprise, which got the tender to fell the trees, clarified that they are doing so as per directive of the upazila parishad for road development.
Rois Uddin, assistant engineer of Roads and Highways Department in Dinajpur, said, "A letter was issued to the zilla parishad for felling the roadside trees in Bochaganj upazila to widen the road from 18 to 24 feet and construct a drain on the roadside."
Contacted, Moklesur Rahman, chief executive officer of Dinajpur zilla parishad said, "The trees are being felled after a tender was issued in this regard with approval from the forest department, deputy commissioner's office, and divisional commissioner's office."
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