Role of Bangladesh Ansar and VDF in socio-economic development

11 December, 2023

Part-1 Bangladesh Ansar & Village Defence Force is one of the most well-disciplined, Public oriented & well- organised forces in the country. This force has a glorious role in socio-economic development & protection of law and order. As the largest public & well-disciplined force of about 61 Lakh members, it is contributing to the overall development of the country by performing its duties with utmost efficiency & professionalism. Since its establishment in 1948, the members of this force have been working like a vigilant with their dedicated lives, with the vow to serve for the country & humanity.
The language movement of 1952 was the beginning of the Bengali liberation struggle and the great freedom struggle. On February 21, 1952, Abdul Jabbar, the forner Ansar platoon commander, participated in the blood-stained movement with Salam, Rafiq before being shot and killed.
The fearless brave members of Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Force jumped into the great freedom war by responding to the call of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the greatest architect of freedom, the greatest Bengali father of all time. On April 17, 1971, the oath- taking ceremony of the first form of government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh was held at Mujibnagar in Meherpur district. The Guard of Honour was provided by 12 Akutovoy Ansar members along with the staging of the swearing- in ceremony set a unique precedent in the world and brought tremendous honor and glory to the force.
In the first resistance of the Great War of Liberation, the fearless members of Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Force participated in the frontal war along with providing guerrilla training to freedom fighters with about 40,000 (3 not 3) rifles. A total of 970 brave members including 10 officers, 3 employees and 657 Ansar members sacrificed their lives. In recognition of their heroic contribution in the Great War of Liberation, the government conferred the title of Bir Bikram on Chandpur Ansar Commander Elahi Bandh Patwari, Magura Ansar Commander Golam Ayakub Bir Prateik and Meherpurs Sthanasar Waliul Hossain Bir Prateek, which are members of these force.
Participating in the various backgrounds of the Great War of Liberation, the main goals and objectives of this force are active participation in peace, order, development, security and disaster management throughout the country to build a happy, prosperous and safe state, to maintain law and order under the direction of the government and conduct joint operations with other forces, voluntary Socio-economic development of the country including the transformation of members into human resources.
Bangladesh has made significant progress in all areas of socio-economic development, including sustainable improvement in the Human Development Index. The current government is working tirelessly to build a unified, justified and bias- free society by eliminating discrimination. The steps have been taken by the government are poverty alleviation, education, healthcare, employment, social security for all.
In the provisions of Article 152 of the Constitution of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Ansar is an orderly force, the activities of this force are not limited to maintain of order. Of 61 lacs members of Bangladesh Ansar &VDF, almost 50 percent of the total workforces are women members and about 140 training programs are conducted throughout the year, financial empowerment, entrepreneurship, and self-employment of about a million women are created every year.
This largest force in the country is accelerating the sustainable development of the country through socio-economic development working tirelessly to ensure the social security growth and social respect of the people. Small and cottage industries processing, technology based industries, agriculture and agro- based industries apart from this the organisation are conducting year- round basic training, subject-oriented task, industrial training with the aim of making the society self-reliant. About 10 lakh 81 thousand 785 trainees have been trained in the last 10 years under the programme. As a result, deprived and poor people of the society are making themselves self dependent. The welfare of the troubled people is making a significant contribution to socio-economic development, including economic liberation and empowerment.
Efforts have been made to gradually build separate organisations of women entrepreneurs across the country through the marketing of the products and services produced by small women entrepreneurs scattered all over the country. Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Force have already organized various district- wise training programs including the establishment of 2 Technical Training Centres (VTCs) with the aim of making women entrepreneurs. Income disparity between men and women is decreasing with the creation of employment opportunities for women through handicrafts, garment product processing, cottage industry based training programs. Above all, it plays a special role in the economic emancipation of the country, including the growth of income in the family and social public life, and gradually alleviating the poverty of the country.
Despite the goodwill of the rural unemployed, the poor, the lower- middle class, the underprivileged, largely due to the lack of necessary capital, fortunes fail to take effective steps towards development. A special banking company named "Ansar- VDP Development Bank" was. launched on January 10, 1996 under the multi-purpose aims & program to create self- employment as a unique way of poverty alleviation for Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Force members.
Factories or Integrated Farms - For this purpose, under the project called Ekti - Bari- EktiKhamar, all classes of professional people at the grassroots level have been created an opportunity to provide small loans at BB rates without collateral capital. Purchasing banking shares at a low rate of taka is an attractive opportunity for the members of this force. In addition to increasing the supply of money in the family- social life along with gaining fame, the creation of new entrepreneurs and socio-economic development has been greatly expanded. More than 54000 Ansar members are engaged in the security of government and non -governmental organisations, other institutions across the country by joining the member as an integrated Ansar after receiving the basic training from Ansar academy. (To be continued)

Published on The Daily Observer