HC bans tree felling without permission from designated committees

The High Court today ruled that trees cannot be cut down in Dhaka city, district and upazila towns, highways, or social forestry areas without approval from designated committees comprising teachers, social workers, government officials, and other stakeholders.  

However, privately owned trees in rural areas are exempt from this requirement, said Supreme Court lawyer Manzill Murshid while briefing journalists on the verdict. 

The High Court bench of Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Mubina Asaf delivered the judgment after disposing of a public interest writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.  

The petition was submitted last year following reports of widespread tree felling in various areas amidst rising temperatures and public hardship. On 7 May, the High Court issued a rule in response to the petition, culminating in today's verdict. 

"As part of its directives, the High Court has ordered the Department of Environment to form a committee within seven days," said Advocate Manzill, who represented the petitioner at the hearing.  

"This committee is to include environmentalists, environmental experts, and professors from the environmental science departments of Dhaka University and Jahangirnagar University to oversee tree-cutting permissions," he added. 

The court also directed the senior secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration to issue a circular within seven days, mandating the formation of district-level committees.  

These committees must include the district commissioner, district environment officer, a government college professor, social workers, environmentalists, the president or general secretary of the district bar association, and the district civil surgeon.  

At the upazila level, the High Court instructed the formation of similar committees comprising the upazila nirbahi officer, college principals, social workers, environmentalists, the social welfare officer, the assistant commissioner of land, and the executive engineer of LGED.  

Additionally, the court ruled that trees planted under the Social Forestry Rules 2004 cannot be cut down. Instead, individuals who planted the trees must be compensated with their equivalent value. It also directed that the Social Forestry Rules be amended accordingly.  

The High Court emphasised the urgent need to conserve trees, noting that rising temperatures threaten environmental balance and the fundamental right to life.  

The court observed that the country does not have enough trees to maintain environmental balance, stressing the importance of protecting existing trees.