The High Court yesterday asked Attorney General AM Amin Uddin to take necessary steps so that no tree at Suhrawardy Udyan is cut till May 20.

The court also fixed May 20 for further hearing on a contempt of court petition filed against the government.

The petition was filed on charge of clearing trees and setting up restaurants at Suhrawardy Udyan, ignoring an HC verdict that was pronounced in 2009.

The HC bench of Justice Mamnoon Rahman and Justice Khandaker Diliruzzaman passed the order when petitioners' lawyer Manzill Murshid placed the petition and arguments before it.

Attorney General AM Amin Uddin requested the court to fix May 20 for hearing the contempt of court petition saying that he has to talk to the government authorities for placing arguments on the issue.

Manzill Murshid prayed to the HC bench to hold a hearing on his contempt of court petition on May 17 and to issue an order of status quo on felling trees at Suhrawardi Udyan till further hearing.

He also said that the matter involved public interest issues as trees are being cut at Suhrawardy Udyan in violation of the HC'S 2009 directives and damaging the environment.

He said the hundred years old trees at Suhrawardi Udyan supply oxygen for the residents of the capital including the judges and therefore, the trees need to be saved.

AG Amin Uddin told the court that he will talk to the authorities concerned immediately to this effect.

Two Supreme Court lawyers Mahbubul Islam and Ripan Barai filed the contempt of court petition with the HC on Sunday, seeking its directive on three government officials to cancel the activities of clearing trees and setting up restaurant at Suhrawardy Udyan.

The three officials are Liberation War Affairs Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh, Public Works Department's Chief Engineer Md Shamim Akhter, and Chief of Architect of Bangladesh Mir Manzur Rahman, petitioners' lawyer Manzill Murshid told The Daily Star.

They prayed to the HC to issue a contempt of court rule against the three government officials for cutting trees and setting up restaurants in Suhrawardy Udyan in violation of the 2009 HC directives.