Aftabunner Jyoti

"They would not let us do anything. Even if we tried to do anything they would stop us." The above quote was made by Dr. Akhter Hameed Khan when he wanted to build the Cumilla model and the officers of thana level said it was not possible to build it.

Dr. Akhter Hameed Khan, a Pakistani social scientist and development practitioner, stands as one such luminary figure. His pioneering work in rural development, particularly through the establishment of the Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD), has left an indelible mark on the field of community development. Dr. Khan was a social scientist and development practitioner who was highly respected throughout the world for his successful leadership of various rural development experiments.

His particular contribution was the development of an effective model for rural development, known as the Comilla Model (1959). This work earned him the Ramon Magsaysay Award from the Philippines, Jinnah Award, Nishan-e-Imtiaz and Sitara-i-Imtiaz and an honorary doctorate from Michigan State University.

Dr. Khan was born in Agra, India, in 1914. He received his M.A. in English literature from Agra University in 1934. In 1936, he joined the prestigious Indian Civil Service (ICS) under British India. He studied at Magdalene College, Cambridge, England, from 1936 to 1938. In 1944, he resigned from the ICS due to the inhuman attitude of the colonial administration in the face of the devastating famine of 1943.

He then began working as a laborer and locksmith in a village in Aligarh, India. In 1947, he worked as a teacher at Jamia Millia, an institution in Delhi, for three years. In 1950, he joined Victoria College in Comilla as principal. In 1954-55, he was appointed director of the government's "V-Aid" program on deputation. In 1958, he went to Michigan State University to gain experience in rural development. Upon his return, he joined the Pakistan Academy for Rural Development (PARD, after independence known as BARD) as its first executive director. He also served as vice-president of the academy's board of directors for several years.

Under Dr. Khan's leadership, BARD developed a successful model for rural development, known as the Comilla Model. Because he believed that grassroots participation and cooperation were essential for rural development. This Model evolved in several stages. The first stage was the implementation of the model at the BARD itself, where it was used to train students in rural development. The second stage was the expansion of the model to a whole thana (subdistrict).

The third stage was the conduct of detailed surveys in the experimental area and close discussions with villagers about their problems and solutions. The fourth stage was close cooperation with the Planning Commission at the national level. The fifth stage was the continuous evaluation and presentation of the pilot projects to not only determine the progress of the projects, but also to identify their weaknesses and make necessary corrections. The sixth stage was the provision of assistance to government agencies in diversifying the model.

The most important component of the Cumilla Model was the creation of an institutional foundation in rural society, followed by the coordination of some basic development plans with it. The first pillar of this institutional foundation was a two-tier cooperative system. At the first level, there were "primary cooperatives'' (such as farmers' cooperative societies) at the village level, and at the second level, there were "central federations of primary cooperatives" (such as thana central cooperative societies) at the thana level.

These were voluntary economic organizations of farmers. The activities of these cooperative societies were to encourage farmers to save and build capital, to help them obtain loans, to promote improved farming methods among farmers, to encourage farmers to adopt joint technological innovations, and to provide training to farmers through trained farmer representatives.

The second pillar was a rural works program with dual objectives, such as the construction of infrastructure for connecting roads, canals and irrigation systems, and the creation of employment opportunities through the use of labor-intensive methods of work. The primary responsibility for the rural activities program was to be borne by local government institutions.

The third pillar was the Thana Irrigation Program. The goal of this program was to provide irrigation facilities to farmers on the basis of planning and implementation of irrigation projects with the participation of farmers.

The fourth pillar was the goal of the Thana Training and Development Center to bring together the officers of the nation-building departments at the thana level and the representatives of the thana people in the framework of the integrated rural development initiative. The Thana Training and Development Center had facilities for the offices of officers, classrooms and workshops for training, and the center was built as a symbol of development administration.

The Cumilla Model was a pioneering effort in rural development in Bangladesh. It was based on the principles of grassroots participation, cooperation, and the use of local institutions. The model had a significant impact on rural development in Bangladesh, and it continues to be used as a model for rural development initiatives in other countries.

In Bangladesh, various government and non-governmental organizations implement rural development programs designed by BARD. More than 850 research studies have been conducted on various topics. Over the long term, BARD has trained more than 400,000 people on various aspects of rural development. In order to play an effective role in rural development through the successful application of information technology, the institution has taken various initiatives at present, considering the demands of the 21st century.

BARD is working to unite marginalized people, build their capital, solve problems, and develop villages. Research and applied activities are being conducted on rural development, women's employment, and agricultural development in particular. In addition, BARD is home to advanced dairy farms, fish farms, and fruit orchards. Many people are taking hands-on training from BARD on these topics.

The government is implementing the national program of BARD's latest model, the "Comprehensive Village Development Program." In order to build a better institutional and administrative structure, BARD has undertaken various experimental projects to develop various methods of cooperation and production. Government officials, as well as ordinary villagers and various local institutions, are involved in these projects of the institution.

One of BARD's important tasks is to provide training to officials of government agencies, autonomous institutions, and non-governmental organizations involved in the implementation of rural development programs, as well as representatives of rural organizations and local government institutions. Every year, 5,000 (five thousand) participants from various levels take training at BARD in 120 to 150 teams.

BARD's own initiatives include rural development courses such as entrepreneurship development, microfinance management, gender and development, project planning and management, research monitoring and evaluation, irrigation and land use management, environmental impact assessment, quality teaching methods and strategies, development communication, participatory rural appraisal, rural industrial planning and management, change of mind-set, team building and leadership development, rural health, nutrition, and family planning, and trainer training courses.

The academy conducts research activities to identify problems in rural areas and to determine the results of rural development programs. The academy conducts an average of 20 research and evaluation works every year. BARD disseminates the results of research, recommendations adopted at seminars, workshops, and conferences through various publications. The publications include research reports, biannual journals, quarterly English and Bangla newsletters, various activities and training courses, workshop and conference-based booklets and handbooks. BARD is a leading institution in Bangladesh for publishing on rural development.

In 1976, the Department of Rural Development and Cooperatives under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives launched a pilot project for the development of small farmers and landless workers in three districts of Comilla, Bogra, and Mymensingh. This project, conducted by BARD, was the first of its kind in the country to provide collateral-free microcredit to the rural poor.

Conducting applied research is another key function of the academy. At its inception, the academy used the villages of Comilla Sadar Upazila as a social laboratory for experimentation. BARD is currently implementing an average of five experimental projects in various areas of development every year. The academy's experimental project activities have now expanded throughout the country.

The academy is optimistic about expanding its activities to new areas in the future. In recognition of its glorious contribution and achievements in rural development through the development of various models, the academy won the Independence Award in 1986 as a national institution.

Dr. Akhtar Hameed Khan died on October 9, 1999. He was internationally recognized for his contributions to rural development. He was a pioneer in rural development in Bangladesh and Pakistan.