Calling it a disastrous development, environmental rights activists on Friday demanded a halt to the road construction at Cox's Bazar beach that they said violated the Environment Conservation Act and the High Court's directives.
They made the demand from a human chain formed in the city, organised by Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), chaired by BAPA Vice President Zakir Hossain and moderated by General Secretary Md. Alamgir Kabir.
BAPA Central Committee Executive Member Architect Iqbal Habib, Organising Secretary Mihir Biswas, Cox’s Bazar District Branch President M. Zafar Alam Didar spoke among others.
Zakir Hossain said, if this natural defence system is destroyed in the name of temporary development, the damage can be irreparable.
Architect Iqbal Habib said, we can see what the consequences of harming nature can be by seeing the recent disasters in India and Nepal. There is a commercial game behind the construction of this road. This is a very expensive project because the road is on the sand.
Zafar Alam Didar said, the sandbanks of the sea are not just part of the beauty of the beach; they are the natural defence system of the coast against cyclones, tidal waves and strong waves. At the same time, the sandbanks are important habitats for various animals and plants, including marine animals, crabs, and turtles.
“We are expressing our concern that indiscriminately cutting sand dunes and constructing roads or structures in this way will lead to coastal erosion, destruction of biodiversity and deterioration of the tourism environment in the long term,” he added.
They also made a seven-point demand from the human chain.
Those included: ongoing road construction on the sand dunes of the sea beach, including Sugandha Beach, must be stopped immediately. The High Court's case verdict and instructions must be fully implemented. Illegal structures and encroachments must be removed as per the instructions of the Ministry of Environment.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and expert opinion must be made mandatory before undertaking any project in the sand dunes. Long-term conservation plans must be adopted to protect sand dunes, sea turtle breeding grounds and coastal biodiversity.
Legal action must be taken against individuals or organisations involved in environmentally destructive activities. Illegal cutting of hills and mountains in Cox's Bazar must be stopped, it added.
