The Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) wrote to authorities on Sunday, calling on them to prohibit tree felling without prior approval from the relevant departments in order to ensure the protection of birds.
The letter has been sent to the secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the chief conservator of forests, the deputy commissioner of Jhalakathi, the upazila nirbahi officer, and the divisional forest officer of Barisal.
The organization also urged the identification and preservation of trees that serve as bird habitats.
In the same letter, BELA demanded a proper investigation into the recent felling of a palm tree in Purbo Guaton village under Jhalakathi Sadar upazila and called for legal action and exemplary punishment against those responsible.
BELA’s concerns were prompted by a report published in a national daily under the headline “No one heard the weeping of the baya weaver birds: the palm tree was cut down.”
According to the report, a palm tree in Purbo Guaton was cut down on Friday. The tree had long served as a major nesting site for numerous baya weavers (babui).
As a result, a large number of baby birds, eggs, and nests were instantly destroyed.
Injured and dead chicks, as well as broken nests, were found scattered beneath the felled tree.
BELA's statement reads: "Local sources said the tree was cut down by its buyer despite protests from several villagers. The tree’s owner had sold it, and the buyer proceeded to fell it, destroying over 500 baby birds and eggs.
"Although both the local Forest Department office and administration were reportedly informed, no effective action has yet been taken."
BELA also referenced past incidents to highlight a troubling pattern. In 2023, thousands of sparrows and starling birds lost their shelter after branches of a banyan tree were cut in Fakirhat along the Dhaka-Khulna highway.
In 2024, a national daily reported that numerous trees were removed to widen the Kushtia-Meherpur highway, again leaving many birds homeless.
The organization warned that repeated destruction of bird habitats due to unauthorized tree felling, coupled with the absence of proper investigations, reflects the severe negligence of the authorities concerned.
In its letter, BELA reiterated the urgent need to prohibit tree cutting without official permission, identify and preserve bird-frequented trees, and take appropriate legal action to ensure accountability for such acts.