Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Tuesday wanted to know the government’s decision about the old trees in the capital’s Suhrawardy Udyan, a historical place related to the country’s Liberation War.
The court sought for the resolution of a meeting organised by the Liberation War Affairs Ministry on this issue on June 24 with its Minister AKM Mozammel Haque in the chair.
The High Court bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice SM Maniruzzaman asked Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Samarendra Nath Biswas to collect the resolution from the Ministry and to submit it to this court in two weeks.
The bench passed the order during hearing on a writ petition filed to seek i1ts directive upon the government not to cut trees and damage the environment and characteristics of Suhrawardy Udyan. It fixed July 15 for further hearing on the petition.
DAG Samarendra Nath Biswas told the HC that the government had suspended the process of cutting trees at Suhrawardy Udyan.
Liberation war Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque held a meeting on June 24 on this issue, but the resolution of the meeting was yet to be finalised, he said, adding that he would submit the resolution to the court on receipt thereof.
Lawyer Syeda Rizwana Hasan appeared for the writ petitioners during the virtual hearing of the petition on Tuesday.
Earlier on May 20, the same High Court bench expressed hope that the problems regarding tree felling at Suhrawardy Udyan will be resolved amicably through discussions between the government and environmentalists.
“We do not want to interfere with this issue at this moment. We hope that all the issues regarding Suhrawardy Udyan will be settled keeping a balance in a beautiful way as the government will take necessary decisions after consulting with the environmentalists including the writ petitioners,” the HC bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice SM Maniruzaaman said.
On that day Attorney General AM Amin Uddin told the HC bench that he talked to the Liberation War Affairs Minister about protecting original and natural historical shape of Suhrawardy Udyan and the Minister assured that he would talk to environmentalists and then would take necessary decisions.
The attorney general also said the process for felling trees at Suhrawardy Udyan had been suspended.
DAG Samarendra Nath Biswas told the HC that Liberation Minister AKM Mozammel Haque held a meeting on June 24 on this issue, but the resolution of the meeting was yet to be finalized.
After the hearing the High Court wanted to know the government’s decision about the old trees in the capital’s Suhrawardy Udyan.
Six rights organizations namely, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), Ain O Shalish Kendro (ASK), Association for Land Reforms and Development (ALRD), Nijera Kori, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), and an architect, Mubasshar Hussain, filed the petition on May 9 as a public interest litigation to the office concerned of the HC.
In the petition they sought a ruling upon the respondents to explain as to why the felling of old, natural trees in the Suhrawardi Udyan in the name of implementing a project being violative of the Constitution and all applicable laws shall not be declared to be without lawful authority.
