As protests escalate over the uprooting of over 50 trees at Jahangirnagar University, the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association on Wednesday demanded an immediate halt to all environmentally destructive activities under the university’s further development project.
In a statement signed by BELA lawyer Advocate S Hasanul Banna, the organisation has called for suspending all construction activities until an approved eco-friendly master plan is adopted.
The statement, addressed to the vice-chancellor and the dean of the faculty of mathematical and physical sciences, urged replanting the same number and type of trees already cut down.
BELA highlighted that nearly 40 per cent of wetlands and 26.5 per cent of tree of the university have vanished over 35 years, threatening its biodiversity and status as a sanctuary for migratory birds.
A university biodiversity team warned that if the university’s further development project is implemented, 2,055 plants from 28 species could be lost, severely impacting the ecosystem.
BELA also criticised the project for lacking a proper master plan and bypassing key planning bodies, urging authorities to stop further destruction immediately.
Meanwhile, student protests continue on campus for the third day on Wednesday, protesting the incident of cutting down trees.
A group of students organised a protest titled Songs of Life, Songs of Nature at the JU transport yard area under the banner of Save Jahangirnagar Movement.
On Tuesday, leaders and activists of Bangladesh Nationalist Party-backed Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal held a protest, demanding the removal of project director Nasir Uddin and engineer Ahsan Habib for their alleged involvement in the tree cutting.