Trees felled on Dhaka-Ctg highway median to make billboard visible, case filed

Around 25 trees planted on the median of the Dhaka-Chattogram highway in Cumilla’s Chauddagram upazila were allegedly cut down without permission to make a roadside billboard more visible, locals claim.

Md Mobarak Hossain Bhuiyan, a work assistant of the Cumilla Roads Sub-Division responsible for supervising trees along the Shamuksar-Duttasar stretch of the highway, filed a case against unidentified individuals on Monday (22 June).

According to Roads and Highways Department (RHD) officials and local residents, the trees were cut from the highway median in the Shamuksar area early Monday night.

The authorities have not officially confirmed who was responsible, but locals alleged the trees were removed to improve the visibility of a large billboard beside the highway.

Officer-in-Charge of Chauddagram Police Station Mohammad Arif Hossain said a case had been filed against unidentified individuals over the incident.

“The people involved will be identified and brought under the law,” he said.

According to RHD sources, various flowering and fruit-bearing trees were planted on the highway median during the four-lane expansion project to beautify the road and help prevent headlights from vehicles travelling in opposite directions from causing glare and accidents.

The species planted include Haimanti, Kurchi, Togor, Radhachura, Kanchan, Sonalu, Krishnachura, Kadam, Bokul, Palash, Korobi, Cassia and Jarul.

On Monday morning, RHD Sub-Assistant Engineer Palash Chakma informed Mobarak Hossain that 20 to 25 trees of different species had been cut from the median in the Shamuksar area.

A large Crown Cement billboard stands beside the Dhaka-bound lane of the highway at the location.

Local residents alleged that branches from the median trees obstructed the billboard from the view of vehicles travelling towards Chattogram and that the trees were cut to clear the line of sight.

According to local sources, a man identified as Rubel was responsible for looking after the billboard and recently employed workers to cut and remove the trees during the night. However, The Business Standard could not reach him for comment.

Chauddagram Upazila Nirbahi Officer Shahadat Hossain said the RHD had filed a case and that details would become clearer after an investigation.

Repeated attempts to contact Golam Mostafa, executive engineer of the RHD in Cumilla, were unsuccessful.

Several local residents, including Firoz Miah, caretaker of the nearby Jorkanan bungalow, pedestrian Abul Miah and farmer Suruj Ali, said some people had cut trees from both sides of the highway and the median during the early hours of the morning.

They urged the RHD and the administration to take stronger measures to protect roadside trees along the highway.