On 18 May 2019 at 11 am in front of national Press Club, Dhaka, Bangladesh a rally and human chain program was held demanding ’ the government must purchase the paddy of peasants directly from them by providing subsidy in order to ensure food security and fair price’.

This program was organized by Banlgadesh Krishok Federation, Bangladesh Kishani Sabha, Bangladesh Adivasi Samity, Bangladesh Bhumiheen Samity and Food Security & Social Security Movement.

Presided over by Bangladesh Krishok Federation President Comrade Badrul Alam the program was, among others, addressed by Workers’ Party of Bangladesh, Dhaka City Unit President Comrade Abul Hossain, RtF&SS Movement Member Secretary Zakir Hossain, Coordinator Aminur Rasul, Bangladesh Krishok Federation Central General Secretary Comrade Zayed Iqbal Khan, Vice-President Rehana Begum, Central Member Shahabuddin Matubbor, Bangladesh United Building and Wood Workers Federation General Secretary AKM Shahidul Alam Farooq, National Woman Domestic Workers Union General Secretary Murshida Akter Nahar, Bangladesh Landless People Association Central Leader Samsul Alam.

The speakers said that the state policy is responsible for the today’s precarious condition of the peasants. If there have been the proper implementation of the purchase policy of the government, today the peasants would have not set on fire their paddy in the filed. They added that having reasonable price for the products is the right of peasants. Bangladesh government as one of the signatory countries should implement the declaration of United Nations Organization in relation to the rights of peasants.

They also asked responsible persons of the government to abstain from making any mockery with just and due protest of the peasants and to pay attention to the genuine problem of peasants. The rally raised below 6 point charter of demands including building enough number of silo and go-down:

1. The reasonable price for peasants’ crops including paddy should be fixed up in view of the production cost;

2. The peasants who burned his paddy in the filed due to pain in mind should be satisfied with proper compensation;

3. National Price Commission should be formed with a view to ensuring fair price for the peasant’s crops;

4. In order to ensure the interest and rights of the peasants the declaration of UN should be implemented;

5. Measures should be taken if the genuine peasants get the facilities of agricultural card issued by the government;

6. Appropriate support should be given away to the cyclone Fani affected peasants.

National Women Domestic Workers’ Union General Secretary Murshida Akter Nahar speaking in the human chain demanding immediate measure to take for the reasonable price for rice produce of peasants.

Right to Food & Social Security Coordinator Aminur Rasul speaking in the human chain empathizing the question food security in the context of low price of peasants’ paddy crops.

Bangladesh Krishok Federation General Secretary Comrade Zayed Iqbal Khan speaking in the human chain asking for necessary steps to be taken to stand by the peasants who incurred losses due to low price for the peasants rice products.

Bangladesh Krishok Federation President Comrade Badrul Alam speaking in the rally in front National Press Club, Dhaka, Bangladesh highlighting the reason of recent burning of the paddy crops of peasants

Workers’ Party of Bangladesh, Dhaka City Unit President Comrade Abul Hossain speaking in human chain focusing the responsibility of the government in terms getting fair price in favor of peasants