The vigil to save a park in Dhaka

It is day 137 of a round-the-clock sit-in to save Dhaka’s Panthakunja Park – aka “the pedestrians'‘ oasis”. Hundreds of trees have already gone and more are under threat due to plans for an elevated expressway across the Bangladeshi capital.

Green spaces in the city have in 1989 to 2% in 2020, driven by Dhaka’s rapid urbanisation, yet – making shade a priority.

Hence the vigil, aimed at protecting urban nature – as well as sheltering street vendors, drivers and homeless people.

The road’s Chinese investors say they will rebuild the park after but activists fear the harm to trees and wildlife would be irreparable.

Context spoke to Amirul Rajiv, an art historian and a lead coordinator of the Bangladesh Tree Protection Movement, who told us why the peoples’ protest started – and why it won’t stop.

It all began on the morning of December 14.

As we showed up to check on the Panthakunja Park where a ramp for a flyover was planned to be built, we saw truckloads of felled trees and plants being taken away. We were shocked – and rushed inside.

We found the nests and eggs of the park’s bird inhabitants scattered on the ground.

This park was a sort of sanctuary for birds –...