Dhaka South plants flowers on Saat Masjid road, weeks after cutting down hundreds of trees

Photo: TBS

The Dhaka South City Corporation is planting flowers in the capital's Saat Masjid Road intersection from Thursday (18 May) night, just weeks after cutting down hundreds of trees in the same area defying outcry.

The divider of the road is being decorated with Rangan, Kamini, Bougainvillea, Chandraprabha (Tecoma) and Kanchan flowers.

Dhaka South cuts trees on Sat Masjid Road defying outcry 

About 650 flower plants have already been planted in the 800 metre section of the 1.7 km long road's divider, keeping a distance of four to five feet between each plant, Dhaka South City Corporation Public Relations Officer Md Abu Nasher said in a press release on Friday (19 May).

Regarding the matter, Md Khairul Baker, project director of Dhaka South City Corporation's infrastructure development project, said, "We have started planting flowers on the dividing line of Saat Masjid road. About 1,500 plants will be planted on the entire divider. We hope to complete the work within the next two days."

Mentionable that a total of Tk10.40 lakh is being spent for planting the flowers and purchasing necessary sand, soil, dung and fertiliser.

Felling trees and defying public outcry: The Dhaka South way

Earlier on 1 May, despite criticisms and protests, Dhaka South cut hundreds of trees on road dividers of Saat Masjid road near Abahani playground in Dhanmondi, backtracking on its previous decision.

On 31 January, Dhaka South stopped cutting trees amid protests from people from various walks of life. 

Dhaka South authorities said widening the road dividers is not possible without cutting the trees and some fast-growing medium-sized trees will be planted in that place.

However, experts said whereas the authorities should have taken initiatives to plant more trees in urban areas, they are doing just the opposite. This type of development by cutting trees will put the environment in more crisis.