A 8-point charter of demands was submitted to be implemented by the government in order to protect the human rights of peasants.

The rally was addressed, among others, by Abul Hossain, Labor Leader and Bangladesh Workers’ Party Dhaka City Unit President, CPBML Polit Bureau Member comrade Mukhlesuddin Shahin, Bangladesh Krishok Federation General Secretary Zayed Iqbal Khan, Vice-President Rehana Begum, Bangladesh Kishani Sabha vice-President Salina Akter, Right to Food and Social Security Coordinator Aminur Rasul, Nagorik Uodyog leader Anisur Rahman.

The speakers laid emphasis on the importance of the day. They called the peasants and the people working in the rural areas to be united for the implementation of declaration approved in the General Assembly of United Nation organization held last year in December in New York, USA. They said that Bangladesh is promised bound to implement the declaration as it is one of the signatory countries on the declaration.

Badrul Alam,chair of the rally said peasant are neglected, persecuted, deprived and repressed in society. If they get the protection of legal tool like UN declaration they would feel like staying in agriculture. They will grow traditional and culturally appropriate healthy and safe food for the people. He recommend to go with agro-ecological method of farming which is climate resilient and give guarantee to cool the earth. He criticized the the role of TNCs around the peasants seed. He asked TNCs with warning not to criminalize the seed of peasants. He said golden rice a criminal seed that will affect the local seed badly. It is detrimental to human health, environment and ecology. He called the government to stop golden rice in Bangladesh.

Badrul Alam also expressed deep concern on the rise of rape and violence against women all over the country mentioning that the rural women are most victims of this topical situation. He added that it could not thought either that it would happen in the Madrasa where moral education is the key philosophical basis.

Pointing out the negative effect of new liberal economic model he said the declaration of UN would be safeguard for the peasants and their existence. He also emphasized the need for a genuine and comprehensive agrarian reform which would remove the rural poverty and create employment for the landless men and women and agricultural workers in the countryside. He also stressed on the necessity of continuing the Khasland distribution process in the country.

Slogans

1 We want the implementation of UN Charter on the rights of peasants and rural laborers

2. We want a genuine and integrated land reform

3. The social justice of the peasantry should be ensured

4. Agricultural work should be recognized as a dignified profession

5. The contribution of female farmers in agriculture should be recognized

6. The rights of the female farmers on the seeds should be preserved

7. The interference of global companies in agriculture should be stopped

8. The provision of impunity for transnational companies should be stopped

9. Transnational companies must be brought under the legal process

10. The fair price/value of the agricultural crops should be ensured

11. The produced food should be free from synthetic fertilizer, insecticide/herbicide and poison

12. Stop using unsafe and sterile (genetically altered) seeds

13. All Khas land must be settled among the real landless people

14. Stop the violation of the company over the seed

15. Stop the criminalization of seeds using legal policy

16. The traditional/customary rights of the indigenous people on land should be ensured

Bangladesh Krishok Federation President Badrul Alam speaking in the rally.

Bangladesh Workers’ Party Dhaka City Unit President labor leader Abul Hossain speaking in the rally.

Bangladesh Krishok Federation General Secretary Zayed Iqbal Khan speaking in the rally.

Bangladesh Kishani Sabha Vice-President Salina Akter speaking in the rally.