Among all the areas in Dhaka which is, unfortunately, one of the most polluted and densely populated cities in the world, Gulshan is considered part of the high-end neighbourhoods that hosts the diplomatic zone as well as several ritzy hotels, corporate offices and posh restaurants.
The upscale area with less noisy, leafy streets, and modern apartment buildings, is already bestowed with a beautiful body of water called the Gulshan Lake – and the views from the lakeside buildings are worth watching.
“That’s what I thought when I came to live here in February 2022 and then found that while the views are indeed breathtaking – the odours and environmental circumstances are not. In fact, it was hard to stay at some point; so me and my wife, Orla Murphy, decided to do something about it.”
The remarks came from Mahmud Rahman, a renowned and passionate photographer and storyteller by profession and an anthropologist at heart, known for his specialised works in the field of visual anthropology and visual advocacy.
When this UNB correspondent visited his house, adjacent to the Gulshan Lake on Gulshan 2’s road 55, there was already a gathering of some of the noteworthy people in the neighbourhood, not for any random get-together but for a noble initiative.
On June 5, Bangladesh and the rest of the world observed World Environment Day 2023 with this year’s global theme focussed on solutions to plastic pollution under the campaign #BeatPlasticPollution.
However, during the ongoing heatwave and the constantly threatening scenario of global warming, the importance of tree plantation has risen to the peak, especially in a setting where Dhaka has been sacrificing a lot of trees.
“You see, we have been already facing these two issues on a daily basis in this neighbourhood. When we moved here, we saw the lakeside land being used for nothing but as an open toilet – with piled up rubbish.”
Mahmud Rahman mentioned that the residents in the neighbourhood did not raise their voices against this and were not seemingly concerned about the minimal greens on the lands either. The water of the lake is also heavily contaminated – the prime reason for the unmistakable odour.
Keeping all these things in mind, the couple – Mahmud and Orla – started ’55 Kodomtola: Greening Gulshan Lakeside’, a personal initiative of tree plantation on the lakeside in front of their house. Within less than one and a half years, they have planted over 1,000 saplings on that part of the lakeside.
“While photography is my profession, gardening is my passion, and we have a rooftop nursery in this building. When I stay in Bangladesh, each and every day I work in the greening mission from 6 to 8 in the morning and also in the afternoon. Since we started this, a handful of supportive individuals also joined us from time to time,” Mahmud told UNB.
The list of these individuals includes several notable development professionals and foreign friends currently working in Bangladesh. One of them is Nayoka Martinez-Backstrom, currently working as the First Secretary of the Development Cooperation Section at the Embassy of Sweden in Dhaka.
However, their participation in this initiative is absolutely voluntary. “As you saw, we are not an organisation and we are all volunteers coming randomly and welcoming anyone who wants to contribute with time, plants, and ideas. Mahmud is the one consistent, driving force in this neighbourhood initiative called ’55 Kodomtola: Greening Gulshan Lakeside’,” Nayoka told UNB.
Another important volunteer in this activity is SM Tariquzzaman, Regional WASH Specialist, Asia Pacific at Plan International. Before this year’s World Environment Day, Nayoka, Tariq and Mahmud along with a group of their enthusiastic friends gathered to take part in several activities.
“Behind this initiative, all credit goes to Mahmud Rahman Bhai and Nayoka Martinez-Backstrom. We worked together to clean the lakeside, planted trees, and made ‘Constructed Wetlands’ (treatment systems that use natural processes involving wetland vegetation, soils, and their associated microbial assemblages to improve water quality, equivalent to a floating garden and intended for wastewater management) and discussed a lot about zero carbon footprint lifestyle, and solution to plastic pollution,” Tariq told UNB. “This is also our usual working process whenever we get time to get along,” Mahmud added.
Regarding this initiative, Nayoka emphasized the importance of a united vision. “World Environment Day is such an essential event to remind us all to care for that which sustains us and our societies. We had a lovely time in these activities, not just because of the wonderful mix of people who came, but mainly because we were in the midst of such lush, green nature – a rare oasis in the middle of this huge urban concrete jungle called Dhaka.”
“Sadly, pollution is taking over quicker than the time it takes for nature to replenish itself. So everyone has to do their part, to save our nature – and I believe this ’55 Kodomtola: Greening Gulshan Lakeside’ is a wonderful initiative in that regard,” Nayoka said.
The initiative is visible on the Facebook page of ’55 Kodomtola: Greening Gulshan Lakeside’ and Mahmud Rahman invites all interested environmentalists and volunteers to take part and support this noble cause, dedicated to saving mother nature in this part of urban Dhaka.
