Bangladesh Krishok Federation-BKF is a peasants’ organization working with small holding peasants, agricultural workers, rural landless people and rural workers engaged in agriculture since 1976 after the liberation war of the country in 1971. It has a long and successful history of land occupation movement for the landless peasants in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Kishani Sabha is its associate, it has always been playing an advanced role in any action since its inception in 1990.

This land occupation movement is very much meant for the landless people because it ensures the lives and livelihood of landless people. For it has directly empowered the landless families getting ownership over a piece of land, that is an obvious reflection of the food sovereignty principle-an international campaign for the cause of farmers in the world.

Through direct action BKF has so far occupied around 77000 acres of Khasland (fallow land which are small islands surrounded by river water) which has been distributed among more than 100000 landless men and women across the country. Apart from this Khasland it has taken over different water bodies and marshlands which are also distributed among small peasants and fishermen.

The issue of Khasland is linked up with a genuine and compressive agrarian reform. The success of the Khasland movement indicated and articulated the possibility of an agrarian reform which should be taken by the ruling government.

In addition to the Khasland movement, BKF has different other important movements and campaigns on different issues, such as climate change, environmental degradation, GMOs, seed, role of transnational corporations, food sovereignty, tax justice, water, women, legal aid, humanitarian work, etc.

Since 2010 we have come close to ESSF for building international solidarity for the purpose of humanitarian support to Bangladesh. ESSF has been providing concrete financial support and advice for our activities as much as possible.

The total amount received from ESSF in 2021 is 9,050 € (in BDT: Tk.814,500/-)

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COVID

The fund mainly used for the COVID 19 impacted people who lost their source of income due to the shutdown of the authority. However, some fund was also used for the national conference of BKF’ BKS’ allied organizations, such as Bangladesh Sramik Federation (Labor organization) and some for the medical treatment of a member of Bangladesh Kishani Sabha who went through a brain operation in the hospital in the capital city of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The support to COVID impacted members, mainly landless people of the BKF (Bangladesh Krishok Federation) and BKS (Bangladesh Kishani Sabha) includes food relief distribution in the worst time of the pandemic situation and warm clothes and blankets in the winter time last year—December.

Labor organization

The national conference of the labor organization BSF was a successful one resulting in a new Execute Committee for the next two years. The conference was well represented with the presence of the Labor Directorate which is responsible for the registration of the labor organizations and to which the labor organization needs the return to be submitted. The conference was held well-maintaining the rules of pandemic.

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As we have been able to stand by the people with support made by ESSF during the pandemic situation, they are really grateful to the organization and to the donors. They have increased confidence in the organization’s responsibility to the members in their crucial time. Because of the efforts of relief work on humanitarian ground, the connection between the organization and people has become very friendly. It has played a role in the consolidation of the organization. The organization has a long goal to achieve through movements, but to do something for them in the disaster period is considered, for sure, to be humane, which is done by BKF and BKS for a long time.

The woman member who received support for her treatment had a successful operation. She recovered well and is fine now. She is very grateful to the donors who helped out with finance for her recovery.

Specific expenditures:

Deficit: 880000-814500=Tk.65500

The deficit has been made up by local sources.

Finally, we extend our thanks to those individual donors who sincerely contributed to our humanitarian works through ESSF.

Dated 30 January 2022

Badrul Alam
President
Bangladesh Krishok Federation