It’s not a tree, it’s like an advertising pole

The trees lined up along the Jhikargachha section of the Jessore-Benapole highway have been used as a medium for advertising for a long time. Signboards, banners and festoons are being hung on the tree trunks by nailing nails and various metal objects. On the one hand, this is damaging the aesthetics and natural beauty of the highway, and on the other hand, the old trees are being damaged. On the spot, various types of advertisements have been nailed to the trunks of trees along the highway in various areas including Jhikargachha Upazila intersection, Hospital Road, Thana intersection, Hajirali Mohila College...

৫৩

The trees lined up along the Jhikargachha section of the Jessore-Benapole highway have been used as a medium for advertising for a long time. Signboards, banners and festoons are being hung on the tree trunks by nailing nails and various metal objects. On the one hand, this is damaging the aesthetics and natural beauty of the highway, and on the other hand, the old trees are being damaged.
On the spot, various types of advertisements have been nailed to the trunks of trees along the highway in various areas including Jhikargachha Upazila intersection, Hospital Road, Thana intersection, Hajirali Mohila College intersection, Charatala, Gadkhali, Nabibnagar and Navaran Old Bazaar. Many tree trunks are covered with promotional banners and festoons of businesses, educational and medical institutions, political organizations and coaching centers.
In some places, new banners have been put up over old advertisements, while in some cases, there are multiple posters and signboards on some trees. As a result, the natural beauty of the green-lined highway has faded to a great extent.
Locals complain that despite the trees being used as advertising poles for a long time, no effective and regular action is being taken in this regard. They demand that the concerned authorities take strict action not only to remove the advertisements but also to stop the trend of nailing advertisements to trees.
According to environmentalists, when nails or metal objects are inserted into a tree trunk, wounds are created there. Water and bacteria can enter through those wounds and cause rot inside the tree. This can disrupt the normal growth of the tree and also reduce the durability of the tree in the long term.
It is worth noting that according to Section 9(13) of the Forest and Tree Conservation Act, 2026, nailing trees for purposes other than commercial production is prohibited. Section 10(3) of the same act provides for a maximum fine of Tk 20,000 for this offense. Locals have expressed anger over the lack of proper implementation of the law despite the existence of the law. They have demanded that illegal advertisements be removed from the trees and action be taken against those concerned.
Ariful Alam, deputy ranger (additional duty) of the Forest Department, said, “There are instructions to remove nails if they are found on trees. The issue will be raised in a meeting with the Jhikargachha administration and measures will be taken to resolve it quickly. Besides, the municipality can also remove them if it wants.”
Jessore District Council Surveyor M. A. Manju, who is in charge of looking after the trees, said that nailing trees is a crime and they are aware of the matter. However, due to manpower shortage and lack of magisterial power, it is not possible to conduct a direct operation. If the Upazila Administration or Assistant Commissioner (Land) wants, they can run a mobile court through an executive magistrate.
Sub-Divisional Engineer (SDI) of the Roads and Highways Department, Md. Awal-ur-Rahman, said that the responsibility of maintaining the trees lies with the Zilla Parishad. However, the Upazila administration can coordinate the matter.
Shapath Bairagi, Assistant Commissioner (Land), Executive Magistrate and Municipal Administrator of Jhikargachha, said, “I have joined the new responsibility. A quick solution and necessary steps will be taken in this matter after discussing it in the municipality.”
The locals hope that, through a coordinated initiative of the relevant departments, advertisements will be removed from the trees on the highway, and any kind of campaigning by nailing them to the trees will be stopped in the future. This will protect the green beauty of the highway and the long-standing traditional trees.