Who are the protesters and how did people get involved? Why are people drawn to this cause?
The protest actually started back in January when some young activists, students from different universities, came together. They were protesting the tree felling at the Suhrawardy Udyan, when the government started felling old trees for constructing some restaurants. That is when they first protested.
When they came to know about trees being felled in Saat Masjid road, they came together again. They wanted solidarity and support from environmental groups and NGOs. So it's students, professors, young professionals, legal groups, environmental movement groups, other cultural activists and groups, all come together to protest the mindless tree felling in Saat Masjid road.
We are not only aggrieved by the fact that they were cutting down trees. We are seriously aggrieved by the myopic development model that the government has taken for many of the so-called development projects. They are denying people's right to have greenery in their city, at the cost of economic activities which they've termed as “development.”
Is the state breaching any laws by cutting the trees?
If there are no laws in place to protect trees, then there should be laws in place to protect the trees, because you only have 8% tree cover when you need 20% tree cover.
You need a law like that, because you live in a city that has the worst air in the world. You need the trees, because the temperature of this city broke all records of the last 50 years. And you are bound to face more of this with the climatic changes and you won't be able to protect your citizens if you don't protect your environment and trees.
The cabinet and the parliament thought that these laws were unnecessary, because there is a Forest Act, and rules can be framed under that. But they have not been framed.
So the authorities take the liberty to say they don't have laws and this is not illegal. But I won't accept this argument, because my right to life is broad enough to include my right to environment. And my right to environment requires that I have trees in my city; that I have my forests protected so that I can inhale air that is not poisonous.
One slogan from the protest was, "Gaach kete unnayan chai na." What kind of green initiatives and development projects would you like to see?
We want development that will ask people's opinion. We want development that is inclusive. We don't want top-down development projects. We need bottom-up development projects.
So any initiative that is inclusive, socially just, and environmentally responsible, is the development that I would expect our government to really consider.
The trees felled are meant to be replaced with more "aesthetic" plants such as bougainvilleas. Why does the movement take issue if other plants are being grown?
We want trees that will serve the purpose of the people. We want trees that will address the causes people are faced with. People here are faced with scorching heat. People here are faced with unclean air. flower plants will not solve those problems.
You're uprooting trees of 15/20 years, and telling us that a flower plant is its replacement. Is it a replacement of equal value from an ecological viewpoint? Certainly not.
If you could send a message to the administration, what would it be?
The government should be respectful to its commitments made on the international platform about environmental protection, and the government should seriously try to improve its ranking and environmental performance.
What message would you like to give to the public?
It's very important for all of us to question the development narrative that is being offered to us. We all have to assert our rights in the overall governance scenario
Remember, your actions impact the future. If you are reckless in your development pursuit, then your children will hear the same kind of dialogues. Ensure that what you are enjoying, you leave the same for your next generation.
What impact do you feel these demonstrations have had?
Our younger allies have managed to mobilize youth groups all over Bangladesh. I see news pouring from different districts of Bangladesh where youngsters are holding placards and banners for saving trees.
So I think we have made it. The moral fight has been won over. The actual fight on the ground is on. The youngsters are guarding the trees. Anytime any attempt is made, even if the attempt is made in the middle of the night, we will all chase to spot, we will embrace the trees and any contractor who would want to cut down the trees will actually have to have the sword first on us and then on the trees.