Creating an environment for development

This year Bangladesh experienced not only over-flooding but also over-raining. More than 40 districts were affected by flood. Crops washed away including seed and seedbed of next year. About two million houses and other structures were damaged. Five million farmers have been directly affected. So far loss in agriculture sector alone stands as 2291.16 crore taka. According to the Disaster Management Ministry, total loss caused by the flood is 700 crore dollars which amounts to about 42 thousand crore taka.

If we watch the post-flood situation carefully, two important pictures emerge. First of all, the most affected people are none other than the poorest of the poor. They don't have plough and cows as they are landless, their hut was their only property. But flood has taken away that too. And this happens almost every year. Thereafter they leave their ever-known village for unknown destinations -- cities and towns. A life of uncertainty begins. They try heart and soul to adopt an occupation for their livelihood but most often fail and are often even misguided when some of them involve in different anti-social activities. Space of terrorists and terrorism expands and law and order situation deteriorates. Different anti-social activities like terrorism, extortion, hijacking and kidnapping are increasing in the society in this way. Thus Bastis have become a centre point of crimes.

These floating people have become a burden for the city. This current of rural-urban migration of poor and disaster-stricken village people has turned into one of the reasons for disorder and instability in urban society. The government and its agencies are facing difficulties to keep law and order situation under control. But the government has to protect lives and properties of the citizens for its own sake. However, the reality proves that government is failing in this respect to some extent. A lot of destructive and terrorist incidents took place in recent time with very disturbing fallouts. Common people are passing their days in fear and helplessness.

To overcome the situation many experts have expressed their concern and opinion in newspapers. The government is also trying to tackle the situation by creating new law enforcing agencies. But so far all attempts have failed, because it could not lessen people's concern. We want a strategy based on the reality of our country. All these anti-social elements are increasing cumulatively due to some basic causes like lack of resource, unemployment, hunger etc. If we can adopt proper strategy in this regard, then we can think of freedom from this ugly situation. We have to take initiative to keep resource within the reach of common people through proper and effective distribution. Realistic and practical measures have to be taken so that villagers have not to come to cities leaving their home and hearth. Affected people have to be rehabilitated within their original areas. Resources have to be provided to them so that they can meet the demands of their livelihood.

Still now, agriculture is the mainstay of livelihood for the majority of our population. Still, we have a lot of land resource which are unused, less used or misused. But those supposed to own this valuable land, have no rights there upon. Land is in the grip of landlords, jotdars and land grabbers. Well experienced landless peasants are pursuing agricultural production in exchange of minimal wage. Out and out, land reform is essential for proper distribution of the resources and optimum output there from. Everyone in the country hoped after the independence that land rights of the landless people would be established by land reform. Each successive government of the independent Bangladesh promised in this regard but none ever tried to implement.

There are 40 lac acres of khas land in the length and breadth of the country. If we can distribute this land among real landless people in proper way, we can say that a Herculean task would be completed from the perspective of poverty reduction. In all corners of the country, there are haors, chars, and beels. Though these are khas properties, land grabbers have been occupying all these in illegal way. If these lands can be recovered and distributed among the landless poor then the damaging trend of rural-urban migration will be diminished. Many odds of the society can be reduced. An example in this regard can be cited as model. Ghughu beel of 9.5 hundred acres in Pabna district has been recovered now, but once it was in the occupation of illegal land grabbers. Movements of landless people around the beel enabled them to own the beel. By establishing their rights in the beel, they have been able to drive away their poverty. Besides, they have been able to create an environment of solidarity and stability free from terrorism and other odds. They got awareness and assistance from Samata, an NGO in the field. They have formed Women Action Committee through which they are fighting against superstitions, and for establishing rights. Again, they are involving themselves in the empowerment process through election to local power structure including Union Parishad.

Many sectors, irrespective of government and non-government, are talking about Millennium Development Goal. Let us try to assure it with deeds.

Md. Abdul Kader is Executive Director of Samata and Ayub Hussain, a researcher and development activist.