Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Chief Executive of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), stated that the Jahangirnagar University (JU) authorities must assess whether they have the legal right to construct buildings by filling the lake.
She emphasized that restoring the lake alone was insufficient and called for those responsible for filling it to be brought to justice.
She made these remarks during a human chain event held on Thursday to protest against unplanned building construction at Jahangirnagar University (JU).
Mrs. Hasan further remarked that it is very sad that "We have to come from Dhaka to save a lake. Do the Jahangirnagar University authorities lack this sensitivity? The lakes of Jahangirnagar University are not just for the university; they are a national treasure." The annual arrival of migratory birds here presented JU to the entire country, she said.
She warned, "This movement will gradually evolve into a national movement."
Professor Raihan Rhine of the Philosophy Department at Jahangirnagar University said that development projects were progressing without a master plan. The authorities began these projects without consulting stakeholders. When students protested, members of the Chhatra League were sent to suppress them. As a result, 17 unplanned buildings were constructed, exhausting all available areas. Now, they planned to fill the lake to construct more buildings. "Those responsible for this deception previously assured us that they would not fill the lake or build along the roadside, yet they did exactly that. We support development, but not at the cost of destroying life and nature."
Alamgir Kabir, General Secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), environment activist Amirul Rajib, and Syeda Ratna participated in the human chain protest.
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