Dhaka – A committee formed for development and protection of Jessore roads on Tuesday submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner demanding that the government’s decision to cut down century-old trees on both sides of the Benapole-Jessore Highway be cancelled.It handed over the memorandum to DC Abdul Awal after a rally on his office premises at noon.
In the memorandum, the committee suggested that the government should develop the road without felling the ancient trees.
The Roads and Highways Department has around 40-60 feet additional land around the road which can be easily used for widening it, committee members said.
Azizul Haque Moni, convener of the committee; Iqbal Kabir Jahid, politburo member of Workers Party; Anil Biswas, Mahubub Alam Bachchu, Zillur Rahman Bhitu and other leaders of the committee attended the programme.
Meanwhile, the DC said the development of the road is possible without felling the trees.
Earlier on January 18, the High Court stayed the government’s decision to cut down the trees.
On March 21 last year, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved a project for widening the Benapole-Jessore Highway while the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) in Jessore has decided to cut down around 2,700 trees for this purpose.
