Bangladesh Krishok Federation

Barisal District Conference (2009) of BKF and BKS demanding khas land for the landless. Photo by Pathak Lal Golder, BKF.

The Bangladesh Krishok Federation (BKF), is the largest rural based peasant movement in the country, and was established in 1976. Since its inception it has been actively involved in land occupation struggles. From 1977 until 1991 the BKF conducted various types of struggles and movements e.g. hunger strikes, sit-in strikes, public meetings, the encirclements of the local administrative offices (gherao), demonstrations, and road blocks. Through different agitation programs, the BKF has been able to compel local government officials, at different times, to make commitments about the distribution of land amongst landless men and women. Despite these commitments no concrete action was taken. However, in 1987 the government introduced a land law called the "Land Administration Manual" which enabled landless people to occupy and farm fallow (khas) land. Because of this new land law, the movement gained momentum.

Since 1987 the BKF has demanded the distribution of khas land among landless men and women as stated in the land law. Because of ongoing government refusal to take any initiative on behalf of the landless, since 1992 the BKF has organised landless people to occupy khas land. This time over 22,000 acres of land on 4 chars (small islands) in the southern coastal belt were occupied. During the occupation movement, the BKF has encountered many impediments from the local big landowners and their goondas (armed thugs), and some local bureaucrats working in the Land Revenue Department. Local large landowners have made several attacks on the landless people's settlements on the chars. Every time, the landowners were defeated, but the landless people had to shed blood for their victories. In remaining in their settlements, the people have built their homes, cultivated their land, and grown different indigenous crops (e.g. rice, vegetables, and fruits). Since 1992, the land occupation movement has continued, and so far, under the leadership of the BKF, the landless people have been able to occupy approximately 80,000 acres of khas land, across Bangladesh. Most of the occupations are concentrated in the south of the country and land has been distributed to more than 107,000 of the poorest men and women living in the countryside. Currently 27 chars are occupied throughout Bangladesh.


The BKF now has 700,000 members and it belongs to the Aaht Sangathan (the Eight Organisations) which includes the Bangladesh Kisani Sabha (BKS, peasant women's organisation, 800,000 members); Floating Labour Union (100,000 members; Floating Women's Labour Union (150,000 members); Bangladesh Adivasi Samiti (indigenous committee, 50,000 members); Rural Intellectual Front (5,000 members); Ganasaya Cultural Centre (200 members); and the Revolutionary Youth Association 5,000 members). The total membership of the Aaht Sangathan is now close to 2 million members.