Save the Environment Movement (POBA) on Tuesday gave government a one-week ultimatum to cancel its decision of cutting down 2,312 trees by Jessore-Benapole road.

Leaders and activists of the organization, along with 19 other environmental and social organizations, gave the ultimatum while forming a human chain at the National Press Club around 11:00am. They demanded cancellation of the decision to cut down century-old trees on both sides of Jessore-Benapole Highway, reports the UNB.

The organisations demanded to the concerned authorities to take decision about the cancellation of tree felling, take initiative of correcting the development project proposal and publish the decision in media within one week, said a press statement.

Engineer Md Abdus Sobhan, general secretary of POBA said, a total of 4,867 trees will be cut down under the project of upgrading Jessore-Benapole and Jessore-Khulna highways into four lanes.

‘There are more than two hundreds of trees which are above 170 years old’, he added.

The decision taken on January 6 this year to cut down the trees is against section 18 (A) of the Constitution which says, the government will preserve and enhance the nature for present and future generations and trees secures the eco-balance of nature, claimed the general secretary of POBA.