Although, there had been much of rhetoric on rules and regulations for land use in public welfare in the past nothing has materialised for reasons not known. There had been much talk on equity distribution of khas land, increasing land productivity, implementation of settlement act, acquisition of ceiling excess land, recovering absentee ownership land, modernisation of land administration, improving land management but in reality nothing has happened. Although some spot works have been done under government project here and there, that has no visible impact on development in national life. Rather some rules and regulations have caused further complicacies.

After independence the first initiative towards land reform was taken in 1972. The notable aspects of the proposed reform were: a) Reducing the maximum limit of land ownership to 100 bighas per family; b) distributing khas land among the landless poor; c) making upto 25 bigha land tax exempt; d) Withdrawing to government some authorities given to farmers in matters of taking possession of newly accreted shoals and abolishing lease of sairat mahal and khas land, haat-bazar, water bodies, ferry ghat etc. and prohibiting mortage of agricultural land under exploitative terms. But although it was proposed to introduce Ceiling Act, the Bangabandhu government backed off from doing that on political and social grounds.

The assassination of Sheikh Mujib on 15 August 1975 and assent of Ziaur Rahman to power later on pushed the issue of land reform under carpet. However, during Ershad's rule the issue again drew attention of government and land reform ordinance 1984 was issued. Matters like contract agreement and reducing ceiling on agricultural land were given due importance under this ordinance. But nothing was implemented in reality and the deprived marginal mass remained far from enjoying any good result.

But the issue of land reform is too important to be overlooked in the overall socio-economic reality. It's an imperative now for Bangladesh from whatever angle -- social, economic, political -- you look at it. Because to reduce the endless disparity and non-equity that dangerously exist among the people of Bangladesh there is little option to ignore the issue. A glance at the income-expenditure and lifestyle of sections of society reveals how deep and sharp this disparity exists to the detriment of the society itself. Specially this is further aggravating the very survival of the land and agriculture dependent masses.

No doubt resources are too inadequate vis-a vis population in Bangladesh. Besides, there exists a wide gap in matters of ownership of and right to the resources. The agricultural survey '96 of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics showed that there was no land for cultivation for 10.18 per cent agriculture dependent thanas of rural Bangladesh. This share of people are the ultra poor and most deprived of facilities and are the real landless population. They even fall out of the jurisdiction of microcredit business so much in operation in rural areas.

On the otherhand, the major share of the income from land goes to the one fifth land owners in the country. That this disparity is increasing the poverty and widening the rich-poor gap in the country doesn't need further proof. Although land is the main ingredient (base) in case of crop production but it being inadequate in Bangladesh, there is little or just no scope of bringing more land under cultivation. Total land area in Bangladesh is 14.4 million hectares of which 13.3 per cent is forestry, 20.1 per cent permanent water bodies, housing settlements, industries, roads etc and the remaining 66.6 per cent is under agricultural use. Topographically the landmass is one to 50 meter high from sea level. There are hills (12%), high plains (8%) and flood plains (80%). During monsoon vast areas of the plains go under water. The land is classified as high (20%), medium high (35%), medium low (20%), low (8%) and too low (1%) depending on the level of flood.

On the basis of natural conditions related to land use, the land is divided into 30 zones and 88 sub-zones agriculturally. The amount of above 170 per cent productive farm land is 14.0 million hectares. The amounts of one-crop, two-crop and three-crop lands are 3.5,3.7 and 0.99 hectares, respectively. Only rice is grown in 80 per cent of the total cultivable land, of which 50 per cent is dedicated to high yielding variety. But because of existing anomaly in land distribution, all khas lands not being recovered and handed over to the landless, and share croppers and small farmers having little or no share in production, the ultra poor and the deprived and the actual landless are suffering most.

But just in our neighbouring country where in the state across the border the people speak the same language and share the same cultural heritage could engrave their name in world atlas only because of land reform. In fact, in West Bengal, their political will worked behind the success more than the ideology of govt. officials. The Panchayet system operated by committees constituted with left front leaders and activists successfuly run many a poverty alleviation programmes. Two aspects of land reform in West Bengal bear significance: patta land i e. distributed land and barga land i e. the land registered for share cropping.

In West Bengal they operated other welfare programmes along with land reform with a view to helping the poor masses. One of such programmes is IRDP credit programme extending credit to certain section of people 95 per cent of whom are small and marginal farmers and the landless. Besides this, the poor villagers are provided with employment under JRY employment programme. Land reform programme and panchayet system have strong positive impact on agriculture.

Land reform in West Bengal unlike earlier green revolution works in favour of small and marginal farmers. It strengthens the social bondage through miniature irrigation, land distribution, local government accountability etc. On the whole the land reform in West Bengal has given agriculture an institutional character and ensured productivity and profit distribution. Now in the light of West Bengal's land reform programme and its positive results, we can certainly assume how imperative this land reform is to remove the traditional economic disparity in our society and the rich-poor gap as well as to establish right to land of the landless and ensure food security.

Our experience of Ghughudaha, Beel Dakshi, Beel Pakuria, Beel Kuralia shows how a piece of khas land could greatly change the standard of life of the landless poor. However, this requires thorough review of the old existing land laws and land use rules and making them more practical and pro-poor as well as proper implementation of earlier existing pro-poor land laws and rules.

At the same time it is necessary to recover the huge amount of existing agricultural khas land, vested property, railway and WAPDA land, acquired land, abandoned water bodies, charland, forest land, court of wards land, swamps, including other govt. khas lands, and distribute that among the landless poor for optimum utilisation. It is also necessary to review the dormant Ceiling Act adopted in 1984 and make it further practical and effective and bring the urban lands too under ceiling. Such initiatives, if taken and implemented, shall, the researchers feel, ensure economic and social security and mental peace of three crore landless people of the country as well as add remarkably to the poverty alleviation efforts in this land of enormous potentials.

Md Abdul Kader is Executive Director, SAMATA.