Locals halt felling of 150-year-old tree in Jhenaidah

Locals in Jhenaidah Sadar upazila have stepped in to save a nearly 150-year-old raintree from being felled, collecting 61 signatures on an application to the deputy commissioner and pledging to take full responsibility for any damage the tree may cause in the future.

The tree, located in Madhupur Bazar area of Porahati union, was scheduled to be auctioned for felling on September 10 after the upazila administration included it in a move to cut down a leaning banyan tree nearby.

The auction has since been halted following appeals from residents.

Eklachur Rahman, 72, president of the market's traders' and shop owners' association, said the raintree was planted around the time the market was established 150 years ago.

"It enhances the area's beauty and provides shade to more than a hundred of the market's 

nearly 250 shops. No one has ever been harmed by falling branches," he said.

The controversy began when heavy rain in July caused a small banyan tree to tilt near the fish market. After shop owners sought its removal, the local union parishad informed the upazila administration.

Sadar UNO Hosne Ara visited the site and recommended felling both the banyan and the raintree.

On learning of this, market committee leaders and residents approached the acting chairman of the local union parishad and later submitted pleas to the UNO and the deputy commissioner.

They also signed a written pledge accepting responsibility for any damage caused by the raintree.

Contacted, UNO Hosne Ara said some people had demanded felling of both the trees when she visited the site. That is why an auction was called for the raintree as well.

"Following the request of the market committee and locals, the auction has been halted. However, since they are not allowing the trees to be felled, they have been asked to make a pledge."