Bangladesh Tree Protection Movement organised a citizens’ rally inside Panthakunja Park in the Dhaka’s Banglamotor area on Saturday demanding the government save the park.
Speakers, including rights activists, political leaders, urban planners and environmental activists at the rally also demanded the government re-evaluate all the projects that were against the environment and nature and to cancel the projects, including the Dhaka Elevated Expressway segment from Tejgaon to Plassey Crossing via Panthakunja Park and Hatirjheel Lake.
Addressing the rally as chair, former Jahangirnagar University economics professor Anu Muhammad said that the ousted Awami League government approved many projects to get commission without considering the projects’ impacts on the environment and nature.
‘The interim government must take initiative to come out of the process of environmental destruction initiated by the previous government,’ said Anu Muhammad.
Rights activist Shireen Huq said, ‘We must raise our voice for saving the remaining green lands, parks and fields in the city.’
Chief coordinator of Ganosamhati Andolan Zonayed Saki urged the government to think anew about the projects taken by previous government and take initiative to save Panthakunja Park.
Several members of the movement have been staging a round-the-clock sit-in since December 14, demanding the cancellation of the expressway segment to save the park.