The High Court (HC) yesterday directed the government to maintain status quo on the decision of felling century-old trees on the Jessore-Benapole Highway, popularly known as Jessore road, for six months. The HC bench came up with the order in the wake of protests against the government decision to cut down the trees under a project to upgrade Jessore-Benapole and Jessore-Khulna highways into four lanes.

The HC bench also asked the government to explain why it should not be directed to construct the four-lane road on the highway protecting thousands of trees on both the sides. Secretaries to the bridges division and environment, and the deputy commissioner and the superintendent of police in Jessore have been made respondents to reply to the rule. The HC bench of Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir came up with order and rule after hearing a public interest litigation writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB).

The petition mentioned that the government could continue development work of the road, but without chopping down the trees on the road.

In July, last year, the authorities took the decision to chop down 2,700 trees along the highway, many of which stand majestically on both sides of the road for well over a century.

The ‘development project’ taken was to widen a 30-kilometre segment of the highway.

However, there have been reactions against the move from different quarters across the country.  

Citing environmental and historical reasons, physical as well as virtual protests broke out across the country to save the trees from axe.  Protesters claim that the trees should be preserved as they stand witnesses to the country’s Liberation War. They say the road can be upgraded to a four-lane keeping the trees as they are.

On Wednesday, 26 organisations demanded that the government should cancel its decision to fell century-old trees on the Jessore-Benapole road considering ecological balance of the area and historic values of the trees. Protesters said an environmental assessment is a must before taking up any development project in Bangladesh as it is vulnerable to climate change.

The green activists say a total of 2,312 trees will have to be cut to widen the 38-km Jessore road and that it would be a disaster for the environment as the trees spread out on over 210 acres.

Protesters also demanded that the government should cancel the tender process of the road expansion work and revise the project plan immediately.