Today on 14^th April 2018, we, approximately 5000 landless, peasants, agriculture workers, fisher folk and rural workers across the country have gathered at Charhadi of Dashmina sub-district under Patuakhali district.

We have discussed with regard to different aspects of distribution, settlement and management of Khasland, precisely Char Khasland together with the relentless struggle and movement for land.

We get the opportunity to share our accumulated knowledge and experience in this event. We will be able to integrate the reflections of our thoughts and actions to manœuvre and devise trajectory for our future struggle and movement in this process.

As a part of prime demand of the conference, we have called on the government to distribute 5 million acres of Khasland among the real landless people. We have set five objectives in this conference. The objectives are stated below:

1. Declaration of National Land Action Day

2. Documenting and preserving the history of Khasland movement

3. Prepare planning and strategy to settle down in new Khasland

4. Publishing souvenir on the remembrance of activists and leaders departed or wounded in the land struggles

5. Write down and publish the biography of the legendary guide and leader late Abdus Satter Khan

The land struggle we started in 1976, got final shape in first January of 1992 (in Bengali 16 Poush) through the successful occupation and settlement in land of four Chars of Dashmina. Though we occupied the land on first January of 1992, we declared the occupation on 27 November by observing historical strike and hunger strike; this particular day from the perspective of occupying Khasland is very significant. So, this day should be remembered. Considering all these aspects, we are declaring 27 November as ‘National Land Action Day ‘.

We are remembering the departed or wounded activists and leaders who fought for the land rights.

We are firmly declaring our determination along with the declaration:

1. We will continue our struggle to promote the right of landless people in Khasland located in different parts of the country

2. We will continue our effort to carry forward a comprehensive agrarian reform as well as land reform at the interest of landless and peasants

3. We will carry out our campaign for establishing food sovereignty

4. We demand for introducing ‘agro-ecology’ as a part of promoting environment and ecology friendly agriculture

5. We will carry on our campaign to support the Char dwellers with the provisioned 500 million Taka of national budget

Bangladesh Krishok Federation (BKF)

Bangladesh Adivasi Samity (BAS)