At a time when heatwaves and rise in temperatures have become a headache for the country, different government agencies felled over seven lakh trees across the country last year in the name of development work, according to a new study.

Overurbanisation has destroyed the trees of Dhaka, leaving Dhaka dwellers in an environment where the air is too toxic to breathe in. Land clearing has made the already-hot summer season hotter and prolonged.

Rapid urbanisation and infrastructure projects have prioritised development over environmental preservation, leading to significant deforestation. Roads have widened and buildings have risen, often at the expense of the mature trees that once cooled the air and filtered pollutants.

Destruction of nature is only worsening the situation