Dhaka, July 1 (UNB) – Bangladesh Paribesh Bachao Andolon (PABA)) demanded halt to hill cutting and felling of trees in the hill areas and exemplary punishment of those involved in such incidents.

Leaders of PABA (Save the Environment Movement) set out the demand while addressing a human chain programme in front of the Institute of Fine Arts in the city on Sunday.

Abu Naser Khan, chairman of PABA, assistant secretary Mesbah Uddin Sumon, coordinator Sabina Naim, Prof. Kamal Ataur Rahman, among others, addressed the programme, chaired by PABA executive committee member Ifma Hossain.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion, the environmental activists said that construction of high rise buildings and roads in an unplanned way by indiscriminately felling trees and cutting different hills by influential quarters caused landslides, resulting in the death of a large number of people every year.

The government has not yet taken any step to halt such environmental catastrophes, they alleged. The activists demanded that the government put a stop to it and ensure exemplary punishment to those found involved.

In his address, Abu Naser Khan said hills, stripped of trees, developed small cracks in the heat of summer. “Rain water enters into the cracks with the onset of the rainy season, causing hill slides,” he said.                   

The speakers placed a number of recommendations, which included formulation of national hill management policy drawing on the experiences of neighbouring countries, shifting and rehabilitating those living in different hill areas, disapproval of brick fields and housing in the hill areas and strengthening the Environment Department for speeding up investigation into hill cutting cases and related court cases.