Abul Barkats
Political Economy of Land Reforms in Bangladesh
Reviewed By Shishir Reza
Abul Barkat, a professor of economics, has recently published a book on agrarian land and aquarian reformation in Bangladesh. The book in Bangla, titled Bangladeshey krishi-bhumi-jola shongskarer rajnoitik orthoniti, which translated into political economy of agrarian-land-aquarian reform in Bangladesh is endowed with the real state of affairs, status and reality of khas land, char land, reformation of agriculture land and wetlands, reality of enemy and vested property act, ecological impacts of shrimp culture, land rights of women and fishermen, fundamental rights of religious minority groups and development deprivation trap among these sectors.
Barkat dedicates his book to the people who dedicated their life to the agrarian-land-aquarian revolution, such as Baba Tilka, Shudu Murmu, Kanu Murmur, Moni Shingho, Mawlana Bhashani, Barin Dutto, Amol Shen, Jungle Shaotal, Jogendra Mondol and Birsha Mundu.
The author scientifically estimates the political economy of khas (government) and char (shoal) land status and injustice towards people religious minorities, ethnic minorities, marginal farmers, fishermen and women. In official figures, we can see that there are 1,686,957 acres of khas and char lands. But Barkat writes that farming khas land is 1.2 million acres, non-agri char land is 2.6million acres, and wetlands is 1.2 million acres. So, in total, it is 5 million acres. Sometimes, official data do not present the real figures. The authorities say 44 percent of 1.2m acres of khas land has been distributed among marginal people. But Barkat claims that 88 percent of khas land and char lands and water bodies are encroached by rent-seekers and land-grabbers. The book provides a real account of sand and stone quarries, tea estates, shrimp farms, land laws, vested properties, etc.
We have four fundamental resources land (jomi), water (jol), forest (jongle), and people (jonomanush). The people who cultivate the natural resources are not the owners actually. Their rights are vaporised through the philosophy of neo-liberalism an extreme version of free market economy, the author says. Ethnic groups are alienated by demographic engineering, rights of tea estate workers are violated, crises in char lands force rural to urban migration and increase urban poverty, local farmers and fishermen are deprived of real prices for their products, land rights of women ignored, coastal ecological security is under threat due to shrimp farming. It is also an outcome of contract farming between local farmers and national or international companies.
If we utilise the resources land, water bodies, forest and human resources through proper policy configuration and implementation, public participation and power decentralisation and give back fundamental rights to farmers, women, fishermen, ethnic and religious minorities and other marginal peoples the total production from our land, water and forest resources will be higher and development would be more sustainable, the author says.
The book identifies how statistical politics can be undemocratic towards humans and humanity. If we reform land-water-forest sectors in sustainable ways, everyone farmers, fishermen, women, minorities and ethnic peoples will be socially included for collective welfare. Apart from that, it is totally a politico-economic decision to ensure security and land rights, as well as pare down inequality, deprivation and discrimination in the interest of the general people.
The author assimilates the thoughts of different illustrious thinkers, like Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Plato, Noam Chomsky, Jonathon Swift, George Orwell and Amartya Sen. The book of six chapters is a treasure of knowledge, guideline of intellectual stimulation, and a collection of inclusive thoughts.
The book is published by Muktobuddhi Prokasana (November, 2016) and costs Tk 500.
The writer is an associate member of Bangladesh Economic Association.
