Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD) was established in 1991 to protect rights on land and to implement land reforms. Non-governmental development organisations Oxfam of Great Britain, nijera kari, proshika of Comilla, caritas, Gana Unnyan Prochesta, rdrs, Proshika Manab Unnayan Kendra and asa took up initiative in 1987 and unitedly established a policy making, advocacy and networking organisation called ngo Coordinition Council for Land Reforms Programme (NCCLRP). The NCCLRP was set up to extend support the settlement process of land, directly owned by the government and to ensure proper coordination of land reform activities of both the government and non-governmental organisations. Its prime objective was to scale up awareness level of the concerned people regarding rights on land, land management, and Acts and Policies of the government for rehabilitating the landless people on government owned khas lands. The founder member organizations of NCCLRP further consolidated their efforts to turn it into an independent body, which resulted in the emergence of ALRD. The ALRD works for materialising the commitment to establish the rights on lands and other rights of all deprived and marginal people including poor, aborigines, small ethnic groups, minority community and women.
The Association conducts advocacy programmes involving policy-makers, public representative and responsible citizens for establishing poor friendly land and agriculture reform policies, relevant infrastructures and laws. It motivates mass media workers and professional groups, intellectuals and grass-root people to take part in the campaign, which is being carried out by ALRD along with its 250 associate organisations through a network developed on partnership approach.
The functions of ALRD are: advocacy, lobbying and research; networking and solidarity enhancement concluding training programmes on land reform, sustainable agriculture and land use, land acts and land administration, gender equality, land survey, right on land of women and aborigines and women leadership development and conducting organisation programme on land survey for lawyers. ALRD also takes cooperation of Headman and other concerned people of the chittagong hill tracts in land management, people’s legal support and implements information, communication and publication programmes.
ALRD is a member of Rome-based International Land Coalition (ILC) and Manila-based Asian NGO coalition-ANGOC. Its overall management and governance are directed through the General Council and the Executive Council. Executive Council constituted by the members of General Council for tenure of two years in the Annual General Meeting, executes all decisions taken and approved by the General Council. The head of ALRD is the Executive Director.
