Allow the poor accessibility to resources

We know that the landless-peasants, fishermen, indigenous people and the marginalised communities always had to struggle to establish their rights. Particularly the movements of the marginalised people during the British and Pakistan period have been recorded in the country's history. Similarly in the 80's the movement against the land grabbers at Ghugudah was by the deprived, repressed and landless people. The land grabbers were illegally occupying the khas land of Ghughudah Beel for years. The landless people surrounding the Beel sustained deprivation and oppression also for years. They claimed victory after a long and bloody confrontation. Intaz, Lokman, Lalmohan and Haider had to sacrifice their lives for establishing their own rights on the khas land of Ghugudah Beel. Many of them are still bearing the brunt of their injuries.

But the illegal land grabbers were ultimately defeated. The gist of the 10th of June victory is that the struggle of the marginalised cannot be suppressed by any force; it only ceases on the defeat of the exploiter. It may be remembered that thousands of conspiracies had taken place against the people of Ghughudah but it is they that had the last laugh. The brave and determined landless people are now cultivating and harvesting crops in the khas land of Ghugudah.

They no more have to depend on the landlord's dole. The changes that have taken place surrounding the Ghugudah are significant. The rate of literacy in the villages has gone up by leaps. About fifty male and female youths have completed their Masters degree from there. More than 200 hundred male and female youths have completed their graduation. Thousands have completed their Higher Secondary Certificates. Besides, the landless people are also playing vital roles in Union Parishad, Gram Sarkar and different local power structures.

Over the period the zeal of Ghughudah has spread out everywhere. The struggle for khas land has been taking place at many places in the country including Beel Kumari in Rajshahi district, Andhamanik in Gazipur district, Beel Pukuria in Rajbari district, Char Carnation-Kashimpur in Faridpur district, Bera-Sujanagar-Chatmohor in Pabna district, Hizla-Bakergonj in Barisal district, Modhupur in Tangail district, Sreemangal in Moulavibazar district, Rowmari in Razibpur district, Dashmina in Patuakhali district, Chakoria in Cox's Bazar district, Avoynagar in Jessore district, Shibgonj in Chapainawabgonj district, Nikli in Kishoregonj district, Kaligonj-Debhata in Satkhira district, Batiaghata in Khulna district, Durgapur in Netrokona district, Begumgonj in Noakhali district, Shahazadpur in Sirajgonj district.

The landless peasants, fishermen and indigenous people all over the places are firmly demanding for their rights to have accessibility to the agricultural khas land, water bodies, forest and char land. The khas land should be distributed among the real landless people bringing dynamism in land management. It has always been noticed that though commitment is made by the ruling parties along with their associates, its reflection is nowhere to find. Therefore, the long lasted procrastination is still obvious in recovering, settling down and management of the khas land. The government has said that there are about 50 lac acres of khas land in the country (sources: the land related parliamentary standing committee).

However, the government itself has inadequate information about these khas land/water resources. The illegal land grabbers are occupying and misappropriating these resources. However, as per legislation the true claimers of these khas resources are the real landless people. All these facts have been discussed several times in the parliamentary standing committee meetings. However, all these have been in vain. In the last three national elections we have noticed the political parties coming up with commitment specifically for establishing the rights of the landless, but they simply failed to do that and remained indifferent. Therefore, while we demand of the political parties to incorporate the issues in their political manifestoes for the upcoming election we also urge the civil society to become aware and take efforts in this respect.

A tough struggle has been taking place around the world to eradicate poverty and we are supposed to be very much within it. However thoughts for the landless poor and indigenous people are still not being prioritised. They are still being deprived from the resources and power. The objectives of the PRSP and MDGs will not be achieved ignoring this vast chunk of the poverty-stricken. At the same time it has been proved that the microfinance is not enough to eradicate the poverty. We believe that not the dependency on credit but access to the resources can do it. The achievement of Ghughudah Beel intermittently reminds us of this. This year this Land Rights Day is being observed in 55 districts and 290 Upazilas in the country and hopefully this great occasion will be observed all over the country in future. No doubt this Great Day will some day symbolize the prowess and spirit of the landless people all over the globe. We therefore demand recognition of this great day nationally. We demand establishment of the rights of the landless people everywhere.

About 57 percent people of the country are landless. Any improvement of their condition means alleviation of poverty to a considerable extent. We believe that through providing these destitute, tortured, repressed and deprived people access to the khas resources we can ensure adequate subsistence for them.

Therefore we demand on the auspicious Land Rights Day:

• The whole khas cultivable land (about 50 lacks acres) should be identified, recovered and distributed among the real landless people.
• After completion of the Diara survey of the whole Char Lands these should be registered under the ledger and distributed among the appropriate landless people.
• The amendment of the Alluvium-Diluvium Law-1994 should be expelled.
• All khas water bodies should be distributed among the real and the successors of the fishermen. Occupying the khas land and khas water bodies in the name of housing or real estate business should be restricted strictly.
• The conventional hereditary laws for women from all races should be amendment and implemented based on equity. Accessibility to and occupation of the khas land along with the inherited property for women should be ensured based on equity.
• To render dynamism in land management correction of record, registration and settlement should be brought under a single ministry.
• Initiative for ensuring the application of share-cropping laws in favour of the share-croppers should be taken. The share-cropping laws should be implemented in compliance of the Land Reform Ordinance of 1984. The ceiling laws should be active and settlement for the real landless people made after reducing the ceiling limit accordingly.
• The traditional land rights of the indigenous people should be acknowledged lawfully and eviction from their land should be stopped for good.
• Separate Land Commission for plain land indigenous people should be formed immediately along with activating the hill tracts land commission.
• The illegal land grabbers in the whole country including Khagrachhari, Bandarban and Ranagamati should be apprehended and punished. The ownership on land of the indigenous women should be ensured.
• The eviction of the forest indigenous people should be stopped along with withdrawal of all types of exacerbation cases instituted by the forest department and coastal authority. Deforestation in the name of Eco Park should be stopped.
• The sugarcane grinding ordinance 1956 should be subdued. The governmental assistance to the marginalised sugarcane farmers should be increased.
• Arrangement of shelters for the slum dwellers of town/cities should be ensured. Eviction of the city poor from the slums should be stopped and dwelling in the khas land may be arranged on easy installment.
• The marginalised people like Bede, Dalit and others should have their accessibility to land for permanent dwelling.
• Such shrimp cultivation as is found anti-peasant interest and hazardous to environment should be stopped. Indiscriminate use of chemical fertilisers and harmful hybrid seed and pesticides should be stopped to preserve and augment land quality.

Abdul Kader is Executive Director and Sohel Ibn Ali is Director of Samata, a non-governmental development organisation.