On the 5 March 2013 Bangladesh Krishok Federation (BKF) organized its Khulna District Conference in Batiaghata. In the conference Nayan was selected as president and Koushik was selected as secretary of the 15 member Khulna district committee of BKF.

Central leaders also joined in the Khulna district conference. The new committee vowed to build a strong base area in Khulna in the near future. They also committed to build a movement to save peasants' rights in the district.

On the 3 March 2013 a BKF meeting was held in Khulna to organize the Khulna District Conference. The meeting was presided over by the BKF central office secretary Pathak Lal Golder. In the meeting leaders discussed about the logistics of the forth coming district conference and took the decisions about how conference would operate.

On the 15 February 2013 the Bangladesh Krishok Federation and Bangladesh Kishani Sabha Barisal District Conference was held in Barisal city. BKF's general secretary Abdul Mannan Azad and BKS' acting general secretary Shipra Rani were present as chief guests at the conference. At the conference the15 member new Barisal district committee was formed. The new district committee vowed to strengthen the land occupation movement in Barisal. After the conference a rally was held in Barisal city.

On the afternoon of February 15, 2013 the 1st Dhaka City Conference of Bangladesh Krishok Federation took place. The 101 new committee members elected Pathak Lal Golder president while Mohiuddin Howlader Mohin was elected secretary.
The conference was presided over by Jakir Hossain, and BKF central president Badrul Alam was the chief guest. In the conference leaders of BKF discussed how important the Dhaka city committee will be. They said that in Dhaka we have millions of people who are closely related with agriculture and their home village. In the peak agricultural seasons like the planting and harvesting of paddy, those people are going to their villages and after that work is finished, they are coming back to Dhaka. We have also many people who are not working as farmers but they are thinking lots about peasants and rural Bangladesh and also want to work with peasants' rights. They have a peasant background. We are targeting those city peasants for BKF work in Dhaka. The leaders also said that as a capital city Dhaka is really important to react to issues, and publically protest or show support to a rural movement in a timely manner. Previously when issues arose, we made a plan and then people came from the village to Dhaka and attended the program (e.g. a protest). But we think from now on, the Dhaka city committee can quickly organize a relevant program in Dhaka themselves.
The new Dhaka city committee hope that they can make a strong BKF base in Dhaka soon. From that base, it will also be possible to build up further BKF bases around the country.
More photos are here..

On 08 February 2013 BKF organized a meeting in its Dhaka central office for forthcoming Dhaka City Conference. People who are active with BKF works and living in Dhaka city attended in the meeting. Meeting decided that 15 February 1st Dhaka city conference will try to include all pro BKF people in the city committee.

An Obituary Message
On 6 October 2012 in the morning Abdul Karim, President of Bhurungamari sub-district and Central Committee Member of Bangladesh Krishok Federation was brutally killed by a miscreant named Addur Rahim patronized by the local influentials who have vested interest on the abandoned railway Khasland occupied by the landless men and women in 2004. He was 63 years old. His dedication knew no bounds as regards land occupation movement in the northern part of the country.

He is survived by his wife, two sons and one daughter along with a host of relatives and associates. He came of a very simple family with a very poor background but with his spirit of struggle for the interest of the downtrodden people in society he enjoyed a huge popularity that took him to a peak stage in the northern part of Bangladesh. As a result, the people who lost their illegal interest around the land as well as the people who fell envy due to his vast popularity become desperate to kill him and ravage his works successfully accomplished in favor of the landless peasants, peasant women and destitute in the locality for the last couple of years.

We, leaders of Bangladesh Krishok Federation and Bangladesh Kishani Sabha extremely shocked at the atrocity of killing of Abdul Karim who was our comrade in the tough struggle for a genuine agrarian reform for food sovereignty in Bangladesh  Although he is not alive physically his work will be remembered among us for ever and inspired the people in the world who are fighting for the land rights, food sovereignty and their very existence. We expect that the people who are engaged with his sincere work will translate the condolence into power for the benefit of the common people. And may his bereaved family have much strength to carry the sudden blow on them.

We are planning to have a series of programs to be performed around his post burial ceremony. It includes a morn procession, meeting of condolence, protest rally demanding exemplary and capital punishment to the assailants and national level discussion on the current trend of killing of those who are land defenders.

Badrul Alam

President

Bangladesh Krishok Federation  

Link for photos and more information are below:

http://www.asianpeasant.org/content/groups-denounce-killing-bkf-leader
http://newagebd.com/detail.php?date=2012-10-07&nid=26214#.UHESK03Mhgw

http://samakal.com.bd/details.php?news=14&action=main&menu_&option=single&news_id=297968&pub_no=1192&

On 13 June 2012 Bangladesh Krishok Federation and Bangladesh Kishani Sabha Rangpur district committee organized a discussion with indigenous people in Rangpur. Indigenous leader Bindu Pahari presided over the meeting. Local leaders and members of BKF and BKS were present at the meeting. They discussed their movements and how to build up stronger movements and preserve their rights.

On 11 June 2012 Bangladesh Krishok Federation and Bangladesh Kishani Sabha Kurigram district committee organized an exchange of views meeting with students and youths in Nageshowary. BKF general secretary Abdul Mannan Azad and BKS general secretary Shipra Rani were special guests in the exchange of views meeting. The meeting was presided over by BKF Kurigram district committee president Hazrat Ali.

Leaders of BKF and BKS discussed youth and student involvement with BKF and BKS activities. They said young people are the leaders of future movements and BKF and BKS always want youths and students to become activists and work for peasant movements.
More photos are here...