On 4 July 2008 Bangladesh Krishok Federation and Bangladesh Kishani
Sabha organized a rally in Laharhat in Barisal district. Thousands of
landless people, mostly women took part in the rally. The rally
demanded the proper distribution of Khasland among the genuine
landless people, to the government.
There are plenty of Khaslands in Barisal district by which the
landless people will go for decisive struggle in the years to come.
However, the landless people have targeted 5 chars (Small
Islands)---Laraipurchar, Talukdarerchar, Miarchar, Saiberchar,
Singherhatchar--- for occupation this year. The area of land of 5
chars is around 5,000 acres. The landless people nearby areas are
already members of the BKF and BKS. They are united and determined to
take over the land for living and cultivation. Presently the chars are
illegally enjoyed by the local big landowners in association with
corrupt local administrative officials. The landless people have to go
through a series of movements and finally remove the big landowners
who are land grabbers.
In the rally the landless people gave ultimatum to the land grabbers
to leave the Chars in the interest of landless people as the landless
people are entitled to enjoy the Khasland as per the land manual of
the country. They also asked the government to behave rationally
during the struggle of the landless people since the land grabbers
have no right to the land. Simultaneously they demanded the government
to take proper steps to solve the landlessness and pauperization in
the rural community.
From the rally they also demanded withdrawal of cases filed against
the landless leaders and landless by the land grabbers in Barisal
district.
The landless people identified the land as the main productive source
of their livelihood. So at any cost they will assert their right to
land.
Because of the strong movement which the landless people in Barisal
built through a series of systematic struggle an assigned senior
reporter of Bangladesh News Agency visited the occupied Rasulpur and
the on-going movement in Barisal lately. He made a very positive
comment on the movement and promised to raise issue at land ministry
so that the issue comes to the notice of the government's high-ups. He
will also take the initiative to publicize the just demands and
struggle of landless people in the national dailies.
Badrul Alam
President
Bangladesh Krishok Federation