Environmentalists and others on Friday demanded justice against those who attacked members of the Bangladesh Tree Protection Movement inside Panthakunja Park at Banglamotore.聽
The demand came from a protest rally following a march from聽Panthakunja Park to the SAARC Fountain in Karwan Bazar, organised by the Bangladesh Tree Protection Movement and Panthakunja Probhati Sangha.
They also demanded punishment of the individuals involved in environmentally destructive projects despite their association with environmental organisations.
The movement鈥檚 coordinator, Amirul Rajiv, said that several individuals, under the banners of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon and Green Voice, attacked the victims on Thursday after they questioned BAPA vice-president
Iqbal Habib鈥檚 involvement in designing the Dhaka Elevated Expressway segment from Tejgaon to Plassey Crossing via Panthakunja Park and Hatirjheel Lake, leading to the park鈥檚 damage.聽
Mizanur Rahman, an activist and resident of Dhaka鈥檚 Jurain area, said that professionals must be accountable for planning environmentally destructive projects and urged the interim government to review all projects undertaken during the fascist Awami League regime.
Dhaka University professor Samina Luthfa said that if the interim government failed to take any initiative to protect Panthakunja, one of the few remaining parks in the city already struggling with severe pollution, it would send a message that the government鈥攆ormed through the bloodshed of the July-August mass uprising鈥攍acked concern for environment.聽
Dhoritri Rokkhay Amra member Mamun Kabir, environmental lawyer Mahbubul Alam, animal rights activist Rakibul Haq Emil and Panthakunja Probhati Sangha organising secretary Md Sirajuddin Tuhin also spoke at the rally, conducted by environmentalist Ibnul Syed Rana.
Several members of the movement have been staging round-the-clock sit-in since December 14, demanding cancellation of the expressway segment stretching from Tejgaon to Plassey Crossing to save Panthakunja, trees and Hatirjheel Lake.
