The historic May Day is being observed in the country as elsewhere across the globe today (Wednesday) in a befitting manner amid extreme heatwave. On this august occasion, we are extending our greetings to all working people of the world, including Bangladesh, wishing success to all programs marking the day.
On this day in 1886, ten workers were killed when police opened fire on a demonstration in the US city of Chicago near Hay Market demanding an eight-hour working day instead of a 12-hour shift. On the height of agitation, the authorities had to accept the workers’ demand and the eight-hour day has been introduced universally.
Since then the day, also known as the International Workers’ Solidarity Day, is being observed across the globe commemorating the supreme sacrifices of the workers and upholding the rights of the working people. However, many workers are still being exploited, humiliated and harassed in many ways.
We believe Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government is highly committed to ensuring compliance with regard to establish workers’ rights—including providing them with fair wages as well as ensuring a safe and hygienic working environment—to attain the sustainable development goals (SDG) and enhance productivity. On the other hand, many workers have not yet been ensured conditions of work, including occupational safety and health, wages and hours of work.
The government will have to ensure acceptable conditions of work with respect to minimum wages, hours of work, and occupational safety and health. The government will have to compel the owners of industries and business to take immediate steps for enhancing worker’s safety with strengthening their rights.
If our workers are safe and their rights are established, the all efforts of the government to turn Bangladesh into a strong economy and a self-reliant and self-respectful country will be made successful. Worker groups and trade unions, political parties, different government and socio-cultural and professional organisations have chalked out elaborate programmes to observe the day.
Many workers are still
being exploited, humiliated
and harassed in many ways
They will also press for improving the working conditions with better wages for the workers and job security, marking the day. On this occasion, all should renew pledge to build an exploitation-free society by establishing the rights of toiling masses and working class people.
All will have to come forward for ensuring welfare of the working class people through establishing their rights and dignity including due wage, safety and hygienic working environment. We hope that both owners and workers will put in their best efforts to boost production in their factories through maintaining good relations between them.
The government has implemented various programmes to maintain unity and good relations between workers and owners, and ensure a safe working environment and social safety net. The owners of mills and factories and other organisations will have to come forward to serve the workers’ interest and establish the rights of the underprivileged people.
Being imbued with the spirit of the May Day, the workers and owners should devote themselves in increasing the national production. Simultaneously, the government will also force the owners to ensure safety and restore the working friendly environment in the factories.
Health service and safety at workplace are the legal rights of a labourer and there is no alternative to ensuring safe and pleasant work environment in implementing the rights. As the government has amended the labour law to make ensure more workers' rights in the factories, it will help establish the order in the industrial sector.
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had fought for the rights of the working people throughout his life. Bangabandhu was a true friend of working people and therefore, after independence, ‘May Day’ received the state recognition and he declared May Day a public holiday.
He (Bangabandhu) set up a wage commission to ensure fair rights of the workers and he also announced a new salary structure for the workers. We express our solidarity with the continued struggle for labour rights and fair working conditions for everyone.
