Agrarian Structure

8/3/2019 Agrarian Structure

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THE AGRARIAN STRUCTURE OF

BANGLADESHAGRARIAN STRUCTURE

The term AGRARIAN STRUCTUIRE denotes all of the existing and lasting production andliving conditions found in a rural region. It comprises social, technological, and economicelements and determines the achievable productivity, income and its distribution, and therural population's social situation.

The agrarian structure includes the system of land tenure (social agrarian structure) and thesystem of land management (technical and economic agrarian structure).

AGRARIAN SYSTEM

The system of land tenure (that is, land ownership and labour organization) and thetechnological and economic conditions are not independent factors. Their concrete form isinterlaced with the natural and social conditions found in each specific area.

The natural conditions not only influence the production factors- generally good and poorsoil, enough precipitation, and temperatures favorable for growth and working- but alsoinfluence what types of ownership are found in an area: large farms are seldom found, forexample, in regions where the soil conditions are poor and the topography is mountainous.

Even more important is the relation between the agrarian structure and the existing socialconditions in the individual countries and regions. Feudal, capitalistic, and socialistic social

orders result in very different conditions of land ownership, systems of labour organization,and forms of cultivation. The social system, in other words, makes up the framework withinwhich agrarian structures can evolve. In this process the state as well as tribes, landlords,communes, and colonial powers can determine the conditions. Within the framework ofsocial conditions, the agricultural sector's economic goals, the function land fulfils, and the

political and social system play significant roles. The economic goal can vary from selfsufficiency and satisfying one's needs, maintaining the farm, earning rent or interest oncapital, production for the market, maximizing profits, or meeting economic plans. In doingso, land can function as a basis for earning one's livelihood, home, means of production, acommodity, an asset, annuity, power basis, or prestige object. Several functions can becombined.

The above mentioned factors are not independent, but rather are embedded within a system;that is, a change in any factor results in a change in all of the other factors. The term"agrariansystem" bas been coined in order to conceptualize this complex system. The "agrariansystem" consists of the "institutional, economic, socio-organizational, and ethical patternsfound in the agricultural sector and rural areas that are oriented towards the superordinateeconomic and social system" (RHM)

The following brief summary of the most important agrarian systems is by no meansexhaustive and stresses in particular the most significant agrarian systems found in thedeveloping countries.


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BANGLADESHSystems of Land Tenure

The system of land tenure governs the traditional or legal rights individuals or groups have toland and the resulting social relationships among the rural population. Its components are thesystem of land ownership and system of labour organization.

In accordance with the existing conditions, many different land tenure systems havedeveloped throughout the world, whereby both natural conditions (climate, soil conditions,topography) as well as social factors (sociocultural values, political ideology, level oftechnological development, population trend, changes in the cost price relationships, etc.)

played a role.

Systems of land tenure are not immutable. On the contrary, they are subjected to a continual

process of change. Changes in the natural growing conditions and economic factors,technological innovations, changes in the size of the population, and influences emanatingfrom the political power structures bring about changes in the land tenure system. As inrecent times these factors have been changing more and more rapidly, the system of landtenure frequently lags behind the new situation and does not adjust to it on time. Land tenuresystems are institutionally established and are, therefore, difficult to alter. Political powerstructures; cooperative ties and class, cultural, and ethnic interests and motives all worktowards maintaining the established forms.

As a result of the continual changes in the factors that govern and form the land tenuresystem, an ideal land tenure system cannot exist. The momentary, specific land tenure system

is the institutional framework within which the agrarian production and way of life arecarried out under the existing circumstances and conditions. It is interrelated with the natural,economic, social, and political conditions. As these change, the land tenure system has tocontinually adapt itself to the changing situation

Systems of Land Ownership

The system of land ownership regulates the relationship of the people to the land, specificallythe power of disposition over land and the right to use the land. As it is practicallyimpossible, on the one hand, to increase the amount of land while, on the other hand, it is the

basis of agrarian production, living, and recreation, in other words, the basis of existence fora rural society, the amount of land controlled and the type of distribution determine the socialconditions. Rights in land bring with them work and income, prestige, and influence. Anyonewithout rights in land is dependent in an agrarian society. He is forced to work on someoneelse's land in order to earn his livelihood.

There are two forms of rights to the land-the right of disposition over the land and the right touse the land. The owner has the right of disposition. He has the right to decide whether tosell, lease, bequeath, give away, or lend, etc. a piece of land. The occupier has the right to usethe land.This right legulates the cultivation of the land. In the case of an owner-cultivatedfamily farm, the family has both the right of disposition as well as of use. A tenant, in

contrast, has no right of disposition over his land but can only use it.


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BANGLADESHPrivate ownership of land is a Western concept that was first introduced into manydeveloping countries by Europeans. It arose under a specific legal order by originalacquisitioning of land (occupying and making the land arable) or changes in ownership(conquest, contract, inheritance). Until today, some societies have still not developed anyforms of personal, private rights to land that would grant a right of disposition. Instead, theindividual is allotted land for his own usage that reverts to the hands of the group (tribe) assoon as it is no longer used.

It is not unusual that laws governing the land exist at several levels, e. g., government lawsand traditional tribal laws. If a conflict arises between these two levels, it leads toconsiderable breakdowns and obstructions in the legal guarantees and, thus, the usage of theland.

The question of the private ownership of land is strongly affected by the ideological point ofview. On the one land, it is argued that the owner's interest in his land turns 'sand into gold."In contrast to this argument is the experience that especially increasing population pressurehas fairly often resulted in the economically weak losing their land and that the land has

become concentrated in the hands of a few people. According to the socialistic viewpoint,private ownership of the production factor land has led to exploitation and should, therefore,be abolished.

Land becomes property by the state (tribe, clan, etc,) guaranteeing an. individual this right toa scarce factor and, thus, warranting him the possibility of harvesting the fruits of his labourin the production process. Property rights, in other words, are granted to the individual by the

society and always include certain limitations. Such restrictions and/or obligations areimposed upon the owner by custom, private rights, or public law. Among these are, e.g. , theobligation to maintain and expand the farm, creditors' claims, rights of access and transit,services, taxes, market regulations, etc.

In developing countries, landed property is usually bequeathed by parcelling it among thechildren. If the farm is passed on to one heir, a practice in parts of Europe, it guarantees theexistence and survival of the farm; however, it also presupposes alternative possibilities forthe remaining heirs to earn a livelihood , a precondition that is frequently not present in suchcountries. A son sometimes receives a larger share under the condition that he has to takecare of his parents, or sons receive larger shares than daughters. When the farms become so

small that they are no longer profitable, the children sometimes operate the farm together andonly split the yield. Usually, the traditional form of passing on the farm results in it becomingsmaller with each generation, even if this is sometimes balanced out by the women's dowries.If job opportunities are not created outside the agricultural sector, it cannot fail to result in adrop in the standard of living among the rural population as soon as all of the land is takenunder cultivation.


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BANGLADESH

TYPES OF LAND OWNERSHIP

Various systems of land ownership have developed throughout the world under the influence

of historical, cultural, and economic factors. These systems are exposed to a continualprocess of change.State Ownership of Land

As a consequence of conquest, purchasing, gifts, and seizure, land belongs to the state inmany countries in the same way as other areas belong to private people. In the USSR, themajority of the land has been turned into state property.In other socialist countries, only a partuntil now. This was done to prevent exploitation resulting form private ownership of the landas well as unearned income derived from ground rent. Otherwise, state ownership plays alarge role if public interests cannot be satisfied by private ownership, or if the land is not ofinterest to private people from an economic standpoint (catchment areas, waste land, forest,

frontiers, experimental farms, etc,). The state partially cultivates its own land (governmentfarms, government forests) and also partially leases it out. In some countries, the churchlikewise has a great deal of landed property. The process by which the church gained

possession of the land and its function is similar to that in the case of state land.

Land Grants

In Islamic countries, land is granted to schools, ,mosques, orphanages, and similarinstitutions. This type of grant is often called a "waqf." The beneficiary receives anirrevocable right of use that is carried out by government organizations, generally in the form

of being leased out. The institution that is granted the right of use receives the profit. Thelands are frequently in very bad condition as hardly any investments are made.

Land is sometimes established as a private waqf. The irrevocability of the grant, that isestablished in court, prevents eventual changes in ownership and protects the family against

property losses. The family receives the income derived from the yield. This type of grant isalso found in the south of Europe and existed in Eastern Germany until 1945 where it wascalled "Fideikommis."

Collective and Communal Ownership

In this type of ownership, the right of disposition is in the hands of kinship or political groupsthat are larger than a single family. In the forms of communal ownership found in Africa (a


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BANGLADESHwidespread phenomenon south, of the Sahara), the land rights are generally controlled by thetribe, and the use of the land is regulated by the chieftain or priest serving the land and earthdeities. Every member that is born into the group has a lifelong right to a piece of land for hisown usage. The tribes regard themselves as custodians of the land for future generationsrather than proprietors.

In Mexico, former latifundia were transferred into a form of communal. land called "ejido."The members of the community are granted land on a heritable basis for their usage, while

pasture land and waste land are used commonly. In various countries such as Taiwan, India,and Jamaica, land belongs to minorities in the form of common land. The purpose behind thisis to give protection against loss of the land.

In socialistic countries, land was collectivized in accordance with the political doctrine in

order to prevent exploitation resulting from private ownership of land. At the same time, thismeasure simplifies controlling agricultural production and the process of adapting to thegoals of rapid industrialization and overall development. Based on a different ideology, butwith similar motives, various religious communities have also abolished private ownership ofland and collectivized it. Physical and/or psychological coercion and pressure or a criticalsituation has always played a great role in collectivization.

Private Ownership of Land

In non-socialistic countries, the right of disposition is often in private hands regardingagricultural land, less so in the case of forests. In face of the positive experience in Europeanhistory and its great ability to adapt to changing economic and technological systems, privateownership of land was introduced in many of the former colonies. In the process, however, it

became obvious that the positive outgrowth of private ownership were dependent uponcertain specific preconditions that were not always present. The decrease in the size of thefarms resulting from population increase and the differences in the success achieved in the

process of adaption to changing conditions especially of an economic nature led in part toproperty losses, whereas other people were able to gain control of large areas and, thus,economic and consequently political power. As a result of this process, today there areseveral widely differing forms of private ownership.

Small Scale Agricultural Property or Smallholdings

Is a widespread form throughout the world and is the target of most of the non socialisticagrarian reforms. Family farms have proved to be an expedient form of agriculturalorganization, both regarding agrarian production as well as the social conditions, as long asthe farm size is large enough. The incentive ensuing from the farmers freedom to make hisown decisions and the knowledge that he will receive the fruits of all his labour andinvestments have always been a tremendous inducement, especially if the attitude towardswork and investments was positive and the concomitant institutions (extension services,credit system) were advantageous. In order for family farms to guarantee the continuation ofyields from their land, it is necessary for them to observe the preservation of the ecological

balance. As soon as the precondition of sufficient farm size no longer exists, the situation


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BANGLADESHbecomes less favourable and the living standard of the farmers' families drops, the farmsbecome indebted, property is lost, and the ecological balance is endangered.

Large Holdings

In many cases not farmed by the owner himself. If there is a large demand for land, the owneris in a position to let others work for him and still receive a sufficient income. He, therefore,leases the land out, and, although he exercises his influence regarding farm management, thisis more to control the farm rent payments than to foster agricultural production. The rent isusually not reinvested, but rather used by the owner to cover his own living expenses as wellas other purposes. Thus landed property becomes a source of rent while the agricultural

economy remains static.

As soon as the owner becomes more interested in the cultivation of his land, he generallyswitches to centrally controlled farming as this makes it possible to control the cropping voteclosely and, thus, guarantee economic success. This form is not only found on plantations andcommercial farms. In the course of the Green Revolution, many former lessors startedcultivating the land themselves as this appeared to them to be more profitable under the newcircumstances than the traditional forms of leasing the land to tenants.

Farm Tenancy

An increasing population, while at the same times the job opportunities outside theagriculture) sector develop only slowly, has barred a growing number of people to look forland that they can rent from someone for their usage for a period of time. In densely settledcountries with private land ownership, in some cases more than half of the land is croppedtoday by tenants. One can differentiate between various forms of renting the land accordingto the type of payment that is demanded.

Occupational tenancy

In way of payment, the tenant works for a specific number of days on the landlord's farm in

order to pay for the land he rents. In some cases, he uses his own draught animals andimplements. This form is particularly found in Latin America where it is called a colonate.Until a few years ago, it also existed in Westphalia, Germany, under the name, Heuerling.

Cash Tenancy

The tenant pays a fixed rent for the land he rents and, thus, bears the full cropping andmarketing risk himself; however, he also receives all the proceeds growing out of his labours.This form demands the ability to face a risk and is, thus, found in the case of tenants who areeconomically sound.

Rent in kind


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BANGLADESHIs a form of tenancy in which the tenant pays a fixed quantity of produce and, therefore, doesnot have to take the marketing risk himself. This form is found especially among landownerswho rent out small parcels of land and who consume the rent in their own household.

Share Tenancy

Is a specific form of rent in kind. It is widely spread, particularly in the developing countries.In this case, the gross output is divided between the landlord and tenant. While the originalsize of the share was determined by the reciprocal obligations and the productivity of theland, the great demand for land has led increasingly to shares equalling 50/50. Under theseconditions, each side receives only half of any proceeds resulting from additional inputs.There is little incentive, therefore, to increase productivity by means of working harder ormaking larger investments. Moreover, the contract is often drawn up for only one year. Even

though it is often prolonged by tacit agreement, it leads to insecurity and a state ofdependence. This has, along with the normally extremely small size of the plots undertenancy, resulted in many farmers being indebted and living in very poor economic and socialconditions.

Although tenancy can fundamentally bring about flexibility in the structure of land ownershipand allows making adoptions to changing economic and social (family) conditions, under thecircumstances in the developing countries (with a one sided advantageous position on themarket for land available for tenancy in favour of the landlords), tenancy leads to stagnatingagricultural production, dependence, and an economically poor situation for the tenants andtheir families.

Systems of Land Management

Agriculture-cultivation and use of the land- is a form of production based on the process ofgrowth of animals and plants. In its original form, man creates food and other articles ofconsumption by using his labour to cultivate a piece of land. At a very early stage, heattempted to make this work easier by making simple implements and, thus, form capital.Traditional cultivation of the land utilizes, in other words, the conventional production factorslabour, land, and capital.

In the modern world and in rudimentary forms even much earlier the farmer runs a type ofenterprise. His goal is of an economic nature: he produces in order to cover his own needs, tobarter, and in modern. times, to sell. The modern farmer is tied to the overall society by hisenterprise. He is dependent upon suppliers and buyers and has to fulfil their wishes andconditions. Modern agriculture is not only an interplay between the soil, solar energy, andlabour, but is rather determined by a number of modern factors that originate outsideagriculture.

In the endeavour to cope with these factors and achieve as productive cultivation as possible,requirements emerge that cannot be met by the individual farmer. The success of his farmingdepends, therefore, upon the extent to which his efforts are supported by social institutions

that help him in the areas in which he reaches the limits of his own possibilities


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BANGLADESHAGRARIAN REFORM

The specific agrarian structure and the existing agrarian system are the manifestation of themost appropriate combination of people, land, and technology with the framework of theexisting economic and social conditions. Along with these, they are subject to continualchange. In the course of history, the process of adaption to changed conditions and demandsfrequently did rot take place rapidly enough. In earlier times, these retardations indevelopment were most frequently found in the fields of political and social order. The

present worldwide striving for rapid economic development has shifted into the focal point ofthe discussion the hindering factors in the agrarian structure that affect agricultural

production and rural development.

This stressing of the economic components should not be deceptive and attract the attention

away from the fact that inequality, dependency, and lack of equal chances for the majority ofthe population have their roots in the agrarian structure and the predominant systems.

Changes in the agrarian structure are necessary in many parts of the world. In the type ofshortcomings and the changes that are necessary, however, there are great regionaldifferences. While leaving out many details, the attempt will be made in the following tomake this clear, by sketching the most important problems in the Third World.

In Latin America, the major problem is the contradiction between latifundia and minifundia.The large landowners represent not only the economic upper strata, but rather also have

political power and dominate the social system. Their wealth makes it unnecessary for themto make complete utilization of their land. Their situation sharply contrasts with the situationof the dependent peasants who usually have only small plots at their disposition in their roleas sharecroppers, colonates, or squatters (people who settle, or squat, on land to which theyhave no title). One of the major reasons for their poverty is their lack of access to land underthe existing conditions. They have hardly any chance of improving their living conditions.The same is true of the workers who are employed on the plantations that are, in some cases,intensively cropped. In these circumstances, a change in the power structure is the necessary

primary step towards an improvement. Since this is strongly based on the control of the land,a change in landownership gains most importance. In connection with this, one has to facethe challenge of the special problems of the minifundia in order to improve the living

conditions for the small farmers.

In Asia, changes have taken place in the agrarian structure in the last 30 years as a result ofagrarian reforms and, partly, the Green Revolution, but often only the extreme cases have

been touched. A limited number of landowners still own large parts of the land that theyallow small sharecroppers to farm. Many of the farmers have very small farms and areindebted. Large sections of the rural population are even landless and usually underemployed.Despite the great population pressure, cultivation is often of a poor quality because thefarmers are not given the freedom to make their own decisions or they do rot have adequateaccess to the necessary services. These shortcomings require not only a change in the landtenure system, but rather in addition also measures for reorganizing land use and management


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BANGLADESHIn Africa, the- for the most par- lack of private landownership has allowed a relativelyegalitarian agricultural society. Problems arise from traditional shifting cultivationfunctioning inefficiently under new conditions. The transition to market production and

permanent crapping, family members changing occupations, increasing population pressure,and disintegration of the tribal system have created a new situation that can be betterconfronted by a reorganization of production and management than a change in land tenure.

The necessary changes in the agrarian structure can take place various ways. Measures toadapt the agrarian structure take place in small steps over a long period of time. Theywork mainly be means of incentives such as taxes, subsidies, investments in agriculture,setting up extension services, etc. They are suited for supporting the continual adoption of theagrarian structure to changing conditions, but they are too mild to balance out seriousshortcomings once they have arisen.

Agrarian Reforms Measurement

Agrarian reforms are measures designed to overcome obstacles hindering economic andsocial development that are the result of shortcomings in the agrarian structure. Changes in

land tenure i.e.. ownership and tenancy and labour organization as well as changes in land use(reform of land management) belong to these measures. Agrarian reforms make use of legalforce and intervene in the property and land use rights of the people, although with certaincompensations. Formerly, the term 'land reform' was common. This term, however, only

points out changes in the property rights without referring to changes in cultivation. Owing tothe increasing importance within the scope of the struggle for economic development, it isused today less frequently.

Agrarian Revolution

Agrarian revolutions are spontaneous, radical changes in the traditional agrarian structurewith uncompensated redistribution of all rights and usually a drastic regrouping of thesociety. The terms 'agrarian reform' and 'agrarian revolution' are frequently not clearlydifferentiated. They do not differ so much in their goals as in the speed they are forcedthrough and how radical they are. For development planning, agrarian reforms have the mostsignificance since they can be used as an instrument and shaped according to policy goals.Thus agrarian revolutions frequently turn into agrarian reforms following the upheaval.Agrarian revolutions and socialistic agrarian reforms are not identical. Agrarian reforms aswell as agrarian revolutions can have redistribution as well as collectivisation as their goals.


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BANGLADESH

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTUREOF MOA


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BANGLADESH

AGRICULTURAL AGENCIES

The following agencies provide services to the country's agricultural sector:

Ministry of Agriculture ( MOA)

At the apex, the Ministry of Agriculture is responsible for achieving agricultural productiongoals and targets adopted by the government, sponsoring projects and programmers towardsthat end, providing necessary funding support through programmers (ADP) and the ForeignExchange Budget, and implementation of the same through different agencies under itsumbrella. The Ministry provides support to all its agencies in their dealings with the PlanningCommission and the Ministry of Finance, and coordinates their efforts to achieve commongoals adopted by the government. It monitors the implementation of physical programmersunder various projects and the expenditure thereof. The ministry appoints key personnel tomanage various institutions and agencies working under it and looks after their humanresource development (HRD).

Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE)

Motivates farmers to adopt measures to achieve higher production, trains them up in moderntechniques at the field level, adopts production programmers for various crops, andimplements through its field force spread out at the Union/Block levels. The Departmentworks through the following directorates: (i) Directorate of Agriculture Extension and

Management (DAEM) which is responsible for general extension of all agriculturalmotivational efforts and management of the same throughout the country; (ii) Agriculture


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BANGLADESHDirectorate (Jute Production); which is responsible for extension and related activities in jutegrowing areas; (iii) Agriculture Directorate (Plant Protection) which initiates activities formotivations and training of farmers in the use of appropriate plant protection measures,choice of chemicals, and their use, utilizing methods such as Integrated Pest Management(IPM); and (iv) Central Extension Resource Development Institute (CERDI) which isresponsible for development of resources to be used in extension messages for farmers. Itachieves this goal, by using recommendations and advice of researchers/breeders and

preparing messages suited to skills of the farmers in general. Major functions of theDepartment of Agricultural Extension include popularization of and motivation to useimproved seeds, irrigation water, and chemical fertilizers among farmers, and propagatingtheir uses, methods and doses of application. It sets up demonstration plots, conducts farmers'rallies, and trains them up. It helps implementation of initiatives like the crop diversification

programme (CDP) to promote nutritional balance in the diet of the people, and the

horticulture development programme to encourage production of fruits, vegetables, etc.

Agriculture Information Service (AIS)

An informative and educative agency dedicated to dissemination of information to farmers ingeneral. It uses the materials developed by the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE)and the Central Extension Resource Development Institute (CERDI). It publishes pictorialmagazines, newsletters, books, leaflets, etc and distributes educative and training materials.Moreover, it produces documentaries and screens them in rural areas and also conducts radioand television programmes on agricultural matters.

Department of Agricultural Marketing(DAM)

It helps regulation of marketing of agricultural produces through dissemination ofinformation on price, and quantity of various agricultural produces in important marketcentres, improvement of market conditions, and guaranteeing of fair prices to producers. Ithas its headquarters at Khamarbari (Farmgate), Dhaka. It publishes and broadcasts weekly

bulletins on market prices in selected centres.

Cotton Development Board(CDB)

Set up to reduce the dependence of local spinning factories on imported raw cotton. TheBoard has already identified areas suitable for cotton cultivation. It distributes seed cottonand other inputs to growers in such areas and buys back the seed cotton at pre-declared

prices. Its headquarters is located at Dhaka but it has zonal offices at cotton growing centresof the country.

Seed Certification Agency (SCA)

Responsible for quality control and certification of seeds produced in the agriculture sectorfor crops such as paddy, wheat, jute, seed, potato and sugarcane. To this end, it carries outtests on purity of the line, germination of the stock, and their moisture contents. For the same

purpose, the SCA conducts field visits to the seed plots of the breeders and to multiplicationagencies, including the contract growers, on a regular basis. It serves as the secretariat of the


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BANGLADESHNatural Seed Board (NSB). The SCA is located at Joydebpur, Gazipur. It has set up a centraltesting laboratory at Gazipur and smaller ones in outlying field stations as well.

Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC)

It was set up in 1961 to make agricultural inputs like fertilisers, seeds, irrigation water, etcavailable to farmers on commercial basis. For doing so, it procures chemical fertilisers,irrigation equipment, plant protection chemicals and equipment, and arranges for productionand distribution of seeds. However, distribution of chemical fertilisers and irrigationequipment has since been privatized. At present, the Corporation runs seed multiplicationfarms, organises production of seeds by contract growers, and organises agro-service centres(ASCs) for boosting production of fruits and vegetables. It also runs some irrigation-basedarea development projects.

Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council(BARC)

It coordinates planning prioritization of fieldwork and approval of agricultural researchprogrammes and their funding. It was set up in 1973 and has its headquarters at Dhaka. Ithelps integration of the activities of researchers in different fields and institutions of theMinistry of Agriculture and other agencies. It helps formulate national agricultural research

plans and oversees their implementation, either by salaried scientists, or by those undercontract research. It helps human resource development (HRD) through arranging higherstudies of agricultural graduates. It maintains a computer centre, and the NationalAgricultural Library and Documentation Centre.

Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI)

Standing on the relics of a similar institution functioning in undivided India, BangladeshAgricultural Research Institute is based in at Joydebpur, Gazipur. Headed by a DirectorGeneral, the institute conducts research and imparts training on all food crops excepting rice.It has outreach stations at several agroecological zones of the country. It carries out researchon wheat, potato, pulses, oilseeds, maize, cotton, fruit, root crops and vegetables. Theinstitute experiments with various agricultural machines and implements to determine theirappropriateness for field use.

Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI)

Established in 1970, BRRI carries out researches on all aspects of rice, including breeding ofnew varieties, improvement of yields, plant protection measures, fertiliser doses andcultivation practices. From its headquarters in Joydebpur, Bangladesh Rice Research Institutehas set up outreach stations at different agroecological zones of the country. The institute hasmade a significant contribution towards the development and adoption of new high yieldingvarieties in of rice the country. It coordinates its efforts with the International Rice ResearchInstitute (IRRI) at Los Banos in the Philippines.

Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI)


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BANGLADESHEstablished in 1951, the BJRI conducts research on variety improvement and cultural

practices for increased yields of jute. It has been entrusted with the breeding of new varietiesand effective yield increases. In doing so, it conducts experiments with cultural practices andapplication of fertilisers. The Jute seed programme is implemented by the BADC.Bangladesh Jute Research Institute carries out research on multifarious use of jute through itstechnical division.

Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA)

Located at the premises of the Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) at Mymensinghand established in 1973, BINA breeds crop varieties through application of atomic radiation.It conducts research on rice, jute, mustard, groundnut, pulses, tomato, etc. The institutecarries experiments on the use of appropriate doses of fertilisers on various crops and

evaluates the outcome thereof. The Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture has alreadymade a significant contribution to the development of new crop varieties.

Soil Resources Development Institute (SRDI)

Responsible for identification of soil characteristics, their classification, and propertyelements for suitability of crop production. It carries out soil surveys and tests throughout thecountry, publishes posters for agricultural scientists and farmers. It trains personnel engagedin the development of agriculture, including farmers. In addition to having soil testinglaboratories in different places, it has mobile units to carry out soil to testing at the field level.

Agro-economic Research Unit(AERU)

Established in 1972, responsible for conducting macro and micro-economic research fornational agricultural development planning and policies. In addition to carrying out regularmandated responsibilities, it is also utilized for quick surveys and monitoring of the outcomeof a given agricultural policy of the government.

Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU)

Founded in 1961, BAU offers graduate, post graduate, and Ph.D. level courses under facultiesof Veterinary Science, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Agricultural Economies, RuralSociology, Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Fisheries, etc. It conducts fundamentaland development research as well as offers refresher and short courses for agriculturalscientists.

Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation (BFDC)

Established in 1964 to help the development of the fish industry (harvesting, processing and

marketing) in the public and private sectors, covering with marine and fresh water species. Itsheadquarters is in Dhaka.


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BANGLADESHBangladesh Krishi Bank(BKB)

Founded in 1973 on the relics of the Agriculture Bank and Agricultural Development FinanceCorporation, the BKB extends long and short term credit for agriculture and allied operations.It also works as a commercial bank.

Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC)

Established in 1976, it controls sugar mills, and develops sugar and food processingindustries in the public sector.

Central Extension Resources Development Institute (CERDI)

Founded at Joydebpur, Gazipur to develop agricultural extension service messages throughtraining and coordination of extension activities.

Directorate of Livestock Services (DLS)

Founded in 1947 to help augment the production of cattle and poultry resources of thecountry through research and extension activities as well as through improvement of breed,health and nutritional care. The directorate has since been bifurcated into BANGLADESHLIVESTOCKRESEARCHINSTITUTE located at Savar and the Directorate of Livestock Extensionhoused at Kazi Alauddin Road, Dhaka.

Forest Research Institute (FRI)

Founded in 1955, the FRI is located at Shola Shahar, Chittagong. It conducts researches onthe development of forests and the forest wealth of the country.

Sugarcane Research Institute (SRI)

Founded at Ishurdi in the district of Pabna in 1973. It conducts researches on improvement ofsugarcane varieties, the cultural practices involved in sugarcane production, and applicationof inputs and extension methodology to reach growers.

AGRICULTURAL LAND

The total land area of Bangladesh is about 14.4 million ha, of which about 66.6% is availablefor cultivation. Depending on the flooding depth, the land is categorized as highland (20%),medium highland (35%), medium lowland (20%), lowland (8%) and very lowland (1%).Based on physical environment which are relevant to land use, the land is divided into 30

agroecological zones and 88 sub-regions.
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BANGLADESHAll land areas are not suitable for all types of crops. Seasonally flooded land is suitable forrice cultivation but the use of HYVs is limited to areas with relatively shallow flood depthduring the kharifseason. Deep flooding for long periods limits land use to a single lowyielding, deep-water rice crop. Most upland crops are grown in well-drained land. Boro is

planted in poorly drained soils throughout the dry (rabi) season where irrigation can beprovided and where no flooding will occur before the harvest of the crop.

Agricultural land use in coastal areas is limited to wet season cropping because of high dryseason soil salinity and lack of suitable quality irrigation water. Cropping intensities,therefore, are low in coastal areas. Intensive cropping with HYVs is commonly practicedunder high to medium highland with assured good quality irrigation water. Total cropped areais about 13.4 million ha, with more than 170% cropping intensities. Areas under single,double, and triple cropping are 3.5, 3.7 and 0.99 million ha, respectively. Rice alone covers

about 80% of the total cropped area, of which HYV's share is about 50%.

Agricultural land is fragmented into small pieces because of the large number of farmholdings. Total number of farm holdings is about 19 million; the average size of a holding isabout 0.5 ha. In form, each holding consists of a few pieces of land which generally rangefrom 0.1-0.2 ha.

CROPPING PATTERN

A spatial and temporal arrangement of crops within a cropping year, largely determined byphysical, biological, and socio-economic factors. There are three cropping seasons (Rabi,Kharif-I or Pre-Kharif, and Kharif-II) during a year in Bangladesh. Since rice is the majorcrop, it dominates the cropping patterns of Bangladesh. Depending on the land type, soilcharacteristics, and water availability, rice cropping may be single, double, or triple. Ingeneral, double or triple rice cropping is practised in high land areas. In medium lowlands,mixed cropping of Aus and broadcast Aman is a common practice, while in deeply floodedlands, single cropping of broadcast Aman (deepwater rice) in Kharif, or Boro in Rabi, is thecommon practice. Non-rice crops are generally grown as a sequential or intercrop with rice.Most non-rice crops are dryland crops, although some crops like jute (Deshi type), millets(Kaon), and sugarcane can tolerate some degree of submergence at later stages of growth.Jute is grown in the Kharif-I season, competes with Boro Aus for land, and is considered a

substitute crop for Boro Aus in cropping patterns. The dry (Rabi) season crops included incropping patterns may be early, middle, or late, depending upon land types, recessions offloods, and dates of harvests of the preceding crops.

In rainfed-dryland areas, growing of drought-tolerant, short-duration crop species has been animportant feature. Although high crop yields have been difficult to obtain, traditionalcropping patterns usually exhibit a high degree of stability. Another important feature is theextensive use of mixed cropping and intercropping of annual crops. These practices providefarmers with opportunities for harvesting diverse crops from the same land, increasing totalland productivity, and maintaining and improving soil fertility through the use of legumes.Boro, Aus, jute, maize, barley, and chickpea are the most important rainfed dryland crops.

When more than two crops are included in the pattern, mixed cropping, intercropping, orrelay cropping are practised.


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BANGLADESHA large number of cropping patterns are generally practised in Bangladesh, depending on thecrop production environment which is greatly influenced by land type, soil texture, floodingregimes, rainfall (amount and distribution) and resource base of the farmers. Some dominantcropping patterns under variable crop production environments are as follows:

Rabi Kharif-I Kharif-IIRainfedcondition

Wheat/Potato/Pulses/Oilseeds/Sugarcane Boro Aus/Jute Fallow

Irrigatedcondition

Wheat/Boro/Wheat/Potato/Tobacco/Vegetables

Fallow T Aus T AmanFallow

Farmers for better use of soil resources, although not always executed as planned, follow croprotations, to some extent. Generally deep-rooted crops (jute) are grown after shallow rooted

crops (rice). [Nurul Islam Bhuiyan]

INCOME FROM AGRICULTURE

Generally the term of agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing ofplants, animals and other life forms. It also refers to field cultivation or cultivation of theground, which involves a combination of both basic and subsequent operation. Any receiptsout of cultivation of land and the use of buildings, premises, and land appurtenant theretoshall be considered as the income from agriculture after some considerations. The allowabledeductions under agriculture are given below.

Agricultural income shall be determined after allowing a deduction of 60% fromreceipt from agriculture as agricultural expenses to avoid the no acceptable evidencesof the production cost of cultivation.

If the agriculturist does not have any other income source other than the agriculturethen he or she will get exemption of more taka 50000 after the deduction of 60% ofthe receipts as the agricultural expense. There are some agricultural incomes which

are also considered as the business income. As for example-

Income from tea garden is bifurcated between agricultural income andbusiness income at the ratio of 60% and 40% consecutively. Income from rubber cultivation is also bifurcated at the same ratio.

Scope of agricultural income

According to Section 2(1) of the income tax ordinance, 1984, agricultural income means

Any income derived from any land in Bangladesh and used for agricultural purposes-


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BANGLADESH By means of agriculture

By the performance of any processes ordinarily employed by acultivator to render marketable the produce of such land

By the sale of the produce of the land raised by the cultivator in respectof which no process, other than that to render the produce marketable, has been

perform.

By granting a right to any person to use the land for any period

Any income from any building which

Is occupied by the cultivator of any such land as is referred to in sub-clause. In which any process is carried on to render marketable any such

produce aforesaid

Is on, or in the immediate vicinity of such land

Is required by the cultivator as the dwelling house or store-house orother out-house by the reason of his connection with such land.

From the above discussion it can be said that any income derived from any land or buildingin Bangladesh that is used for agricultural purposes will be considered under the headAgricultural Income. There are some other scopes of agricultural income under theconsiderations of income process. These are:

Gain from the sale of the machinery or plant exclusively used for agriculturalpurposes (Capital Gain)

Compensation money received against demolished machinery or plant exclusivelyused for agricultural purposes (Equipment insurance)

Income from sale of partly agricultural goods ( Tea, Sugarcane, Jute)

Other agricultural income by notificationsAGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT UNDERREVENUE BUDGET

Serial No Name of the Program

01 Agro Service Center Program.02 Production of Improved Cereal Seeds through S.M Farm Program.03 Production of Improved Seeds through Contract Growers Program.04 Procurement, Processing & Distribution of Improved Seed Program.

05 Jute Seed Program06 National Vegetable Seed Program.


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BANGLADESH07 Buffer Stock of Seed and its Management Program.08 Production Processing Preservation and distribution Program for Hybrid

Vegetable Seeds.09 Production Processing and Preservation Program for Hybrid paddy Seeds.

10 Program for removing waterlogged area and increasing agricultural production ofJessore district

11 Program for removing waterlogged area and increasing agricultural production ofKhulna-Bagerhat-Satkhira-Pirojpur district

12 Program for removing waterlogged area and increasing agricultural productionof Kushtia-Jhenaidah district

13 Program for removing waterlogged area and increasing agricultural production ofPabna & Natore district

14 Program for increasing agricultural production and dewatering of waterloggedarea in Noakhali-Comilla-Sunamganj district15 Program for increasing agricultural production and dewatering of waterlogged

area in Tangail district16 Program for forecasting of water quality, saline water intrusion and waterlogged

area of southern part of Bangladesh17 Program of field survey, data collection and report writing for increasing

agricultural production by removing waterlogged area of Bangladesh

18 Barisal -Jhalokati District Minor Irrigation Development Program.

19 Patuakhali-Borguna District Minor Irrigation Development Program20 Pirojpur District Minor Irrigation Development Program21 Bhola District Minor Irrigation Development Program

22 Greater Khulna District Minor Irrigation Development Program23 Madaripur- Shariatpur District Minor Irrigation Development Program

24 Gopalganj District Minor Irrigation Development Program25 Faridpur District Minor Irrigation Development Program

26 Noakhali- Lakshmipur District Minor Irrigation Development Program

27 Maulvibazar-Habiganj District Minor Irrigation Development Program28 Syhlet-Sunamganj District Minor Irrigation Development Program29 Kishoreganj District Minor Irrigation Development Program30 Kishoreganj District Itna, Mitamoin and Ostogram Upazila Minor Irrigation31 Netrokona District Minor Irrigation Development Program32 Greater Kustia Jessore District Minor Irrigation Development Program33 Narayanganj-Munsiganj District Minor Irrigation Development Program34 Dhaka District Minor Irrigation Development Program35 Tangail District Minor Irrigation Development Program36 Mymensingh District Minor Irrigation Development Program

37 Brahmanbaria District Minor Irrigation Development Program


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BANGLADESH38 Jamalpur District Minor Irrigation Development Program

39 Bogra District Minor Irrigation Development Program

40 Sherpur District Minor Irrigation Development Program41 Comilla District Minor Irrigation Development Program42 Gaibandha District Minor Irrigation Development Program43 Rangpur, Nilphamari District Minor Irrigation Development Program44 Kurigram-Lalmonirhat District Minor Irrigation Development Program

45 Gopalganj Sadar, Tungipara and Kotalipara Upazila Minor IrrigationDevelopment Program


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BANGLADESH

AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT UNDERDEVELOPMENT BUDGET

Sl. No. Name of Project PD Name

01 Modernization and Strengthening of Facilities to Increase

Supply of Quality Seed.

Md Aminul Islam

02 Pulse and Oil Seed Project (2nd Phase). A.K.M AbdulMaleque


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BANGLADESH03 Tuber Crops Development Project

(BADC Part)

Md Azizul Haque

04 Improved and Quality Seed Production of Rice, Wheat and

Maize Project (BADC Part).

Ashutosh Lahiri

05 Integrated Horticulture Development Project

(BADC Part)

Abdur Razzak

06

Construction of Rubber Dams in Small and MediumRivers for increasing food production project.

(BADC Part).

Md. hafizullah

Chowdhury

07 Development and Multiplication of Agricultural Seed (2ndPhase)

Dr. Rezaul Karim

08 Private Seed Sector Development Project

(2nd Phase)

A H M Nurul Alam

09 Enhancing Quality Seed Supply Project Md. Azharul Islam

Mujibnagar Integrated Agricultural Development Project

Pilot Project for Agricultural Production in Monga Prone

Area through Modern Minor Irrigation Practices.

Mosaddek Saiyed

Ashugonj Polash Agro Irrigation Project (4th Phase)

Expansion of Irrigation through utilization of SurfaceWater by Double Lifting (2nd Phase)

Md. Hanif

Greater Bogra Rangpur Dinajpur Integrated Area Dev.

Project (2nd Phase)

S A M Zahid Ahmed

Greater Mymensingh-Tangail Integrated AgriculturalDev. Project (2nd Phase)

Md. Rafiqual Islam


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Greater Khulna-Jessore-Kushtia Integrated AgriculturalDev. Project (2nd Phase)

Md.Khalilur Rahman

Innovative Uses of Surface Water Project

(2nd Phase)

Md Jainul Abedin

Project for Enhancement of Agricultural Production and

Poverty Alleviation by Introducing Force Mode Tube-well

Irrigation

Babul Kanti Lodh

Project for Activating of Inoperable DTW of BADC forIrrigation

Md. Abdul Mannan

Greater Dhaka Zilla Irrigation Area Development Project

(2nd Phase)

Md. Samsuddin

Pabna Natore Sirajganj Minor Irrigation DevelopmentProject

Md. Asraf Ali Khan

Greater Faridpur Minor Irrigation Development Project Md. Salahuddin

Survey and Monitoring Project for Development of minorirrigation (3rd Phase)


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BANGLADESH

ORGANOGRAM, MINISTRYOF AGRICULTURE


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BANGLADESH

LAND AND AGRARIAN REFORM IN BANGLADESH

IntroductionBangladesh is situated in the centre of the South Asian Region. She exists in the world mapas an independent & sovereign nation since 26th March 1971. She came into being through

peoples arms struggle & won her victory over the Pakistani occupation army on 16th ofDecember 1971.

Population and landBangladesh has a population of about 132 million of whom about 87% are Muslims, 12%

Hindus, the rest are Buddhists, Christians & Indigenous People. The total Geographical areaof Bangladesh is about 56,000 square miles. (143,998 square kilometer) Out of which about 9million hectares are cultivable land. But every year the cropland is shrinking for humansettlement. It is estimated that the growing population pressure will use up 50 per cent of thecountrys cultivable land by 2025. Urbanization, industrialization and acquisition of land bythe government for different purposes have been causing negative impact on the life andconditions of the peasants as well as socio-economic scenario of the country. Vast areas ofland also devoured by the mighty rivers of Bangladesh. Moreover, land is fragmented everyyear in rural and urban areas due to growing population and the law of inheritance. A studiesconducted by UNDP & World Bank-WB calculated that due to fragmentation of 1.42hectares into 10 holdings of 0.15 hectares each the effectiveness of net cropped are area byabout 1.5 per cent to a land owner. Moreover, per capita land that would support the basicneeds of the population is fast decreasing. Every person working in the agriculture sector nowowns only an average of 0.12 hectares of cropland. According to the classification of land,out of the total area, 63 per cent are being used for cultivation while 4.38 per cent for ruraland urban housing and the rest includes forest & cultivable waste land. Bangladesh is one ofthe most densely populated countries of the world where 798 persons live in one squarekilometer.

Landless Poor in Rural BangladeshAbout 85% people, out of132 million live in the rural areas of Bangladesh. Agriculture is

their main occupation & means of livelihood. According to government report 57% people ofBangladesh are landless poor & they live below poverty level. But Non- Government sourcessay that the number of landless people in Bangladesh is more than 68%. They live in

perpetual poverty, hunger, disease and deprivation. The percentage of landless people overthe last few decades is as follows:

1947 : 14.3%1970 : 19.8%1975 : 32%1984 : 46%

2001 : 68.8%

10% absentee land owners own 50.6% of the total cultivable land of Bangladesh. Accordingto Dr. Mahboob Hossain & Prof. Abdul Byes, 45% of the landless & poor marginalized


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BANGLADESHpeasants in the rural areas own only 5% of the total cultivable land of Bangladesh andreceives 10% needed credit from institutional sources. They further said that 22% of the rich& middle farmers of rural areas of Bangladesh own 71% of the total land & receive 31%institutional credit.

Urban Poor in BangladeshRoughly about 15% of the people live in the urban areas of Bangladesh. According to theUNDP report 56% people in the urban areas are poor and live below poverty level. Some

people contradict with the above statement & say that 40% people in the urban areas are poor& poverty stricken and they live in slums and shanties without any basic amenities of life.The monthly family income of the urban poor is about TK. 3000/= ($60/=) and most of theirincome goes for paying house rent, food, medicine etc. and govt. does not shoulderresponsibility for providing them with housing and other basic necessities. A study conducted

jointly by the Asian Development Bank- ADB & the Govt. of Bangladesh shows that if the

present trend of urban population growth continues, by 2020 the number of people living inthe urban areas would be about 60 million.

Dhaka & its PeopleDhaka is the capital of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh which was founded about 400years ago. It began its Journey as a capital of free & independent Bangladesh since 16th ofDecember 1971 with a population of about 1.6 million. Now more than 10 million people livein Dhaka metropolis and its periphery. Dhaka is one of the most densely populatedmetropolis in the world. Total geographical area of Dhaka is about 480 square kilometer. Outof 10 million people about 3.5 million people live in the slums and shanties. Slums andshanties are mostly built on the government lands. Many owners of land also build slums and

shanties on their lands& rent out those slum houses to the urban poor. Slum dwellers are almost self-employed. Alarge number of them are rickshaw pullers, push cart-drivers, garments workers, domesticworkers, vendors, construction workers & labourers, cleaners, sweepers, rug pickers, garbagecollectors, helpers in the transport sectors and shop keepers etc.

Ownership of Land in The Dhaka MetropolisAbout 15% of the land in Dhaka is owned by 2% of the upper class elite of this metropolis,28% middle class families own 65% of the residential areas and 70% poor families own only20% of the residential areas. Most of the lands owned by the poor families are of poor quality

in the outskirts & depressed areas. The slum dwelling people have no land on their own. Theylive on the mercy of the government, landlords, slum lords, musclemen, extortionist andterrorists. The monthly house rent they pay is much higher than what is paid by the tenants ofthe 3 posh residential areas of Dhaka. They pay also much higher amount for water,electricity, gas etc. than the people living in the posh residential areas. But the money givenfor house rent, water, gas, electricity etc. does not go to the govt. exchequer. It is eaten up bythe thugs, goons, slum lords & middle men. The living condition of the slum dwellers is very

poor. Unfortunately they are conditioned to live & work in most hazardous & insecuresituation. Sewerage system is absent and hygiene conditions are extremely poor in the slums.Schools, hospitals and other basic services are absent in the slums. Dhaka is stated to be oneof the crowded & polluted city of the world and the most victims of this pollutions are the

slum dwelling poor, men, women & children.Cause of rural-urban migration


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BANGLADESHUnfortunately rural development policies and services pursued, practiced & provided to therural areas of Bangladesh over the last three decades both by the government & non-government organizations failed to a large extent to stop the rural-urban migration. Ruthlessexploitation, deprivation, poverty & hunger, non-execution of land reform policy, centralized

power & authority of the bureaucracy, corruption, nepotism & favoritism, misrule, mal-development, absence of rule of law, natural calamities, river erosion, absence ofemployment opportunities etc. forced the rural poor to migrate to the urban areas for food andshelter. Moreover, unplanned development policies, industrializations and urbanizations arealso responsible for rural-urban migration. It is very unfortunate that although governmentspends 67% of the total government annual expenditure for the wellbeing of the people in andaround Dhaka city, it does not help the slum dwellers for improvement of their livingcondition instead it widens the disparity between urban and rural people and between theurban rich and the urban poor. The uprooted, destitute, internally displaced and poverty

ridden people live in the slums are like refugees without state & status.

Views About Development Efforts

Porf. Abul Barakat of Dhaka University says, Both the Government and the NGOs could notbring any significant change in the fate of the common people. About nine crore (90 million)people were deprived of sanitation facility, six crore (60 million) people had no access toprimary health care services, five crore (50 million) adult were illiterate, about 2 crore (20million) primary & secondary level students could not enrolled. Since 1971, Government and

NGOs received TK. one lakh 80 thousand crore ($ 31,088/= million) as foreign aid but onlyTK. 40 thousand crore ($ 6,908 million) of the amount had been spent for the welfare of the

poor people & the rest were drained out due to corrupt Government officials & NGO men.The Human Development Index-HDI of the UNDP (2001) says that Human Poverty Index-HPI of Bangladesh remained stagnant as the country continued to lag behind even the SouthAsian average interms of life expectancy, percentage of under nourished people, percentageof under height children, infant and under five mortality rates, literacy rates and percapitaGDP. It said technological achievement was amongst the lowest in the world, interms ofelectricity consumption which is only 20 per cent of South Asian average and with only fivetelephones per 1000 people.

According to World Health Organization-WHO report (2001) Bangladesh ranks 131st out of191 member states interms of overall health system. Health indicators paint a grim picture ofthe situation due to high rates of infant & child mortality, at 79.6 and 4.3 per thousandrespectively which are unexpectedly high. Almost two-thirds of the birth does not receive anyantenatal care. Only six per cent of deliveries receive health care facilities and trained

personnel assist only 22 per cent of the deliveries. Only 50 per cent of the children receivecomplete immunization. Malnutrition continues to be a severe health problem for bothmother and children. There are only 18 doctors and five nurses for every 100,000 people. Mr.Richard Daley, (London) visited Bangladesh recently under Young Workers ExchangeProject (UK). He says, The wealth gap in Bangladesh is very conspicuous, one moment youmight see crowd of women and children breaking bricks into aggregate by hands, whilst inanother youll see a Chauffeur driven, air-conditioned Mercedes speeding past. The local

poverty gap has been difficult to swallow.


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BANGLADESHOur Constitutional Commitment

It shall be a fundamental responsibility of the State to emancipate the toiling masses thepeasants and workers - and backward sections of the people from all forms of exploitation. Itshall be a fundamental responsibility of the State to attain, through planned economic growth,a constant increase of productive forces and a steady improvement in the material andcultural standard of living of the people, with a view to securing to its citizens

The provision of the basic necessities of life, including food, clothing, shelter,education and medical care;

the right to work, that is the right to guaranteed employment at a reasonable wagehaving regard to the quantity and quality of work;

the right to reasonable rest, recreation and leisure; and The right to social security, that is to say, to public assistance in cases of undeserved

wants arising from unemployment, illness or disablement, or suffered by widows ororphans or in old age, or in other such cases.

(From the Constitution of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh).

Global Commitment

Within a decade, no man, woman or child will go to bed hungry Dr. Henry Kissinger,World Food Conference, 1974 in Rome. After two and half decades of kissingers

pronouncement we see that more than 800 million unfortunate men, women & children ofthis earth are going to bed hungry, malnourished and starving. The declaration of kissingersremained unfulfilled.There was no change in the reality. Similarly at our national level the successive governmentsover the last 30 years, the professional bodies and the non-govt. organizations are collectivelyresponsible for failing to translate the constitutional obligation into reality. As a result 69% ofour people are landless, laborers, workers, slum dwellers and are forced to live in perpetual

poverty, hunger, malnutrition & deprivation. We have over the past three decades, createdtwo Bangladesh; one Bangladesh for the powerful minority and the other Bangladesh for the

poor & powerless majority who owns nothing but create everything and keeps the wheel ofthe nations economy moving for the consumption & comfort of the minority.

What is to be Done About it?

Time has come for us to take all out initiatives to build & strengthen the organization of thepoor & powerless people in the grassroots both at different levels in the rural urban areas withspecific objectives of realizing their fundamental & basic rights including the right to haveaccess to land. As it is well known to many that in the developing countries land representswealth, power, prestige and security in society. It is the most scare of all resources and itforms the basis of our power structure. Therefore, the vested interest groups both within &outside of government machine keep land reform well off the development & politicalagenda. Some NGOs in the 70s & mid 80s fought for land reform along with the

progressive forces of Bangladesh. But over the last fifteen years most of the NGOs are

implementing micro-credit & other service giving projects for poverty alleviation &development in Bangladesh. Many researchers, academics, social scientists, politicians,


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BANGLADESHprofessionals & NGO persons prefer to call Bangladesh as one of the poorest country of theworld. But in reality Bangladesh is not a resource poor country. Bangladesh is blessed withhard working adaptive, creative, innovative and resilient people. She is very rich in terms ofher natural gifts of soil, product varieties, rivers, sea, forest, gas and mineral resources. Alarge number of hard working people of Bangladesh live & work in many of the countries inEast Asia, Middle-East, Europe, North America, Australia, Newzeland & other countries.They also contribute enormously to our national exchequer. Moreover, per capita cultivableland is still higher than many of the Asian countries. But still without land & agraian reformeradication of hunger, poverty, disparities & development of the poor in Bangladesh is not

possible. ARBAN also believe that pro-poor and progressive land & agrarian reform cancontribute to a great extent eradication of hunger and poverty of the toiling masses ofBangladesh. According to the Political Economy of Khas Land in Bangladesh a bookwritten by Prof. Dr. Abul Barakat and others, identification and management of khas land

(state owned land) and water bodies, distribution of the same to the landless and poor people,retention of such land and water-bodies by the landless, and pertinent rules and practiceswithin the prevailing social-political context of Bangladesh constitute prime issues ofagrarian reform. It may be mentioned here that there are about 3.3 million acres of khas landin Bangladesh. Out of this 3.3 million acres 0.8, million acres are agricultural land, 1.7million acres are non-agricultural land and 0.8 million acres are water-bodies. Moreover,there are state owned lands under Water Development Board, Railways, Roads & Highways,Fisheries, Forest etc. ministries of the Government of Bangladesh. There are also hundreds &thousands acres of new lands surface every year from the rivers and sea in the coastal areas

because of massive siltation. There were no statistics of the ceiling (20 acres) surplus lands inBangladesh.

More or less all state owned lands including 3.3 million acres of khas lands & new landssurfaced from the rivers & sea are occupied by the land grabbers, land mafias & terroristsunder the patronage of government in power living in both rural & urban areas ofBangladesh. A large amount of ceiling surplus lands was kept under the ownership and

possession of the landlords/landowners against fake names. These lands, as per governmentrules, should be surrendered to the govt. & all types of state owned land should be distributedto the landless poor peasants. But unfortunately most of this land are illegally owned &occupied by those who are very rich & have more than enough lands, properties, industries,

business establishments and secure high salaried jobs for their comfortable living. Prof. AbulBarakat & others say, out of the total amount of identified khas land of 3.3 million acres,

only a tiny portion has so far been distributed to the poor who faced multifaceted difficultiesin both obtaining and retaining land. Most khas lands identified or un-identified are illegallyoccupied by the rich segments of the society who are integral part of the power structure. Inorder to crawl out of the abject poverty and to ensure socio-economic development of themajority of the landless & powerless poor in Bangladesh, land and agrarian reform both inrural and urban areas is a must. In order to realize this goal, peoples ownership of and accessto land and water bodies including those of the indigenous people & minority communityshould be broadened. To materialize this into reality needs strong political commitmentwhich can be achieved through peoples involvement?

Collaborative Actions for Peoples Involvement in Struggle for Land


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BANGLADESHThe Popular Coalition to Eradicate Hunger & Poverty / IFAD and the Association forRealization of Basic Needs-ARBAN from the middle of 2000 went for collaborative actionsto ensure peoples involvement in adopting & implementing land and agrarian reform inBangladesh. ARBAN worked with the moral & material support from the Coalition toachieve two broad objectives. 1stly to bring back the land and agrarian reform issues in theactions agenda of the NGOs, peasant organizations, political parties & other progressiveforces and secondly to organize & mobilize the rural-urban poor for strengthening theirorganizational capability to exert pressure on the government machinery for adopting &implementing pro-poor land reform both in rural and urban areas of Bangladesh.Accordingly, four regional workshops were held and more than two hundred participantsrepresenting NGOs, professional bodies, peasants organizations, political parties &indigenous people attended these workshops. There were unanimous decisions thatorganizations of peasants & landless, slum dwellers, indigenous people & minorities in the

rural and urban areas should be built & strengthened to adopt & execute pro-poor land andagrarian reform & tendril security for eradicating hunger & poverty. It was felt that land andagrarian reform was urgently needed for balanced development, increased production,effective use of land, forest, fisheries & water bodies, peace, justice, equality and communalharmony. With this end in view, NGOs, peasants organizations progressive political forcesand one networking organization called the Association For Land Reform and Development-ALRD including ARBAN are working effectively in this regard. Meanwhile, ARBANalready mobilized more than 60,000 slum dwellers of greater Dhaka to have access to landfor housing and security. In the meantime about one thousand slum dwellers of Dhakametropolis & its periphery have joined ARBANs housing project. They accumulated TK. 5.5million from their income & saving. They already bought a piece of land from the open

market. On the other hand they continue collective struggle for getting government land forhousing although they live in utter fear of eviction, loot, fire, torture, rape & killing by theagents of the power structure.

ARBAN, in collaboration with the slum dwellers association formulated a long term (July,2002-June, 2017) housing project for slum dwellers of Dhaka & its peripheral areas. ARBANhopes that about 17400 slum dwellers will join this project. The total savings of the housinggroup members will be TK. 756,100,000/= and ARBAN will build 5,214 flats (size 450square feet) with an estimated cost of TK. 1,564,500,000/=. (Each flat will cost TK.300,000/=). The members will pay back the cost in 15 years by paying a monthly installmentof TK. 1,600/=. In order to materialize this project ARBANll need a revolving capital of TK.

240,000,000/=. Details of the plan are enclosed.

ConclusionsThe struggle for land for livelihood & housing is a uphill struggle. Strong politicalcommitment is a pre-condition to adopt & implement agrarian & land reform for thosemillions who are conditioned to live in slums, poverty, deprivation & destitutions. Lack andabsence of commitment on the part of the people at the top, the politicians, the bureaucrats &the vested interest groups obstruct the adoption and implementation of land and agrarianreform in Bangladesh. They run the country according to their ideologies to serve their ownclan interest. Therefore, if we are to progress and fulfill the constitutional obligation made to

the people of the Republic of Bangladesh in 1972, fundamental changes have to be brought inthe thinking process and mindset of the people in the top.


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Documents

Agrarian Structure