World: Bangladesh: BFK Landless Peasants Movement

Bangladesh Krishok Federation (BKF), the largest rural based peasant movement in the country, was established in 1976. Since its inception it has been actively involved in land occupation struggles in a very systematic way. From 1977 until 1991 BKF conducted various types of struggles and movements e.g. hunger strikes, sit-in strikes, public meeting, the encirclements of the local administrative offices, demonstrations, and road blocks. Through different agitation programs, the BKF has been able to compel local government officials, at different times to make commitments about the distribution of land amongst landless men and women. Despite these commitments no concrete action was taken. However, in 1987 the then autocratic government introduced a land law called the "Land Administration Manual" on behalf of the landless people. Because of this new land law, the movement gained momentum.

Since 1987 the BKF had the scope to demand the distribution of khas (fallow) land among bona! fide landless men and women as stated in the land law. In spite of great deal of pressure from the movement, the government never paid heed to landless people's demands. Finally, in late 1991, thousands of landless men and women gave an ultimatum to the government demanding the immediate settlement of khas land for landless people. As the government refused to take any initiative, BKF persuaded landless people to occupy the khas land in early 1992. This time over 22,000 acres of land on 4 chars (small islands) in the southern coastal belt were occupied.

During the occupation movement, the BKF has encountered many impediments from the local big landowners and their Goondas (Miscreants), and a few local bureaucrats working in the Land Revenue Department. Local big landowners have made several attacks on the landless people's settlements on the chars. Every time, the landowners were defeated, but the landless people had to shed blood for their victories. Many landless people have had to sacrifice their lives, but their heroic role and fearless contribution continues to be an inspiration to all those involved in the movement. In remaining in their settlements, the people have built their homes, cultivated their land, and grown different indigenous crops (e.g. rice, vegetables, and fruits). Since 1992, the land occupation movement has continued, andso far, under the leadership of the BKF, the landless people have been able to occupy 70,600 acres of khas land, across Bangladesh. Most of the occupations are concentrated in the ! south of the country and all of land has been distributed to more than 102,400 of the poorest men and women of living in the countryside. In the context of Bangladesh,this has been a large success in terms of the struggle for land rights. In the past, there were a few initiatives to occupy the land by different organizations, but they were not sustained.