If we cannot create, we definitely must not destroy
Chattogram, and Bangladesh as a whole, is in dire need of medical facilities, and the past year has been very telling of that. However, strategic decisions should be made so that one does not come at the cost of the other
Green hills that surround the Central Railway Building (CRB) in Chattogram are the easiest source of oxygen and nature we have access to, when an urban dweller wants to breathe in the midst of their busy city life. Governments in different countries, even the Dhaka city corporation, are trying to allocate space for parks and spaces where people have access to nature. It is unfortunate that we have such a space readily available in Chattogram, yet we cannot prevent it from being destroyed.
The decision to tear down the CRB hills and build the railway Hospital in its place is unreasonable and should be condemned. These trees that have been providing relief to the people of Chattogram for over 100 years are assets for us, which cannot be recreated if destroyed.
We must cherish it and do all we can to preserve the trees. Uprooting these trees and constructing a hospital in its place is an absurd idea. As cities around the world try to build smart gardens using modern technology in order to create an increased supply of oxygen, destroying the CRB hills will take the quality of life of the people of Chattogram to a regressed state. It will also be a huge step back in our fight against climate change.
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Furthermore, along with having an impact on nature, this destruction will have an irreversible effect on cultural activities, sports, and recreational space for youths. Additionally, Chattogram will be losing an integral part of its heritage, a structure that has been a part of Chattogram's history since 1872.
Chattogram, and Bangladesh as a whole, is in a dire need of medical facilities, and the past year has been very telling of that. However, strategic decisions should be made so that one does not come at the cost of the other.
We, as the people of Chattogram, should protect what is left of nature in our city. We are extremely blessed in comparison to other cities - we have hills and sea and landscape. The best part of it is that it is all-natural - nothing is artificially created. So do we prevent and nurture the legacy that we have or do we destroy it and depend on artificial development?
Chowdhury Yameen Anam is a young businessman, and Member Finance and Planning Affairs Subcommittee of Bangladesh Awami League.
