Historic May Day today

Bangladesh, like other countries around the world, observes May Day today amid the nationwide Eid holiday with demands for ensuring workers’ rights and safety.

This year the theme of the day in Bangladesh is ‘Sramik-Malik Ekata — Unnayaner Nishchayata’ means the unity of workers and employers will give the assurance of development.

To observe the day,  various labour bodies will hold rallies, bring out processions and organise discussions to press their demands, including the national minimum wage of Tk 20,000 and workplace safety.

The day is a public holiday in Bangladesh coincides with Eid holiday.

Labour and employment ministry will hold May Day discussion at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre on May 8 where prime minister Sheikh Hasina will address the programme as the chief guest through videoconferencing.

Before that, state minister for labour Begum Monnujan Sufian will place a wreath at the portrait of the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi, said a press release of the ministry.

The Left Democratic Alliance, a platform of nine left-wing parties, in a statement said that even after 136 years of the historical event 8-hour workday was not established in the country.

It demanded removal of barriers to free trade union practice, job security, liveable minimum wage for workers, rations at Army rate and a democratic labour law for all workers.

Communist Party of Bangladesh president Shah Alam and secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince in a press statement said that labour law was not implementing to protect the rights of workers though the law was not workers’ friendly.

They said economic discrimination becoming wider in the country as workers were denied their rightful wage.

‘Set minimum wage at Tk 20,000 immediately,’ the statement read.

They also demanded rations, residence and health safety for the workers.

Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad declared to hold a rally in front of the National Press Club to press its nine point demands.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in a statement said that due to Covid-19 many workers were passing hardship and starving but the government ministers and leaders were only engaged in lip service which reached the suffering of the victims at its peak.

He claimed that their relationship with all working people is very close.

‘We are always aware and determined to protect their rights and dignity,’ he added.

Socialist Workers’ Front president Razekuzzaman Ratan and general secretary Ahsan Habib Bulbul in a joint statement said that fair wage and 8-hour workday were not established in this country.

To press the demands the trade union will hold a human chain in front of the National Press Club.

Jatiyo Sramik Federation president Kamrul Ahsan, general secretary Amirul Haque Amin in a statement demanded decent working environment for all and to set national minimum wage Tk 20,000.

Bangladesh Garment Workers Trade Union Centre in a statement on Saturday demanded minimum monthly wage of Tk 20,000 in the apparel sector.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal president Hasanul Haque Inu and general secretary Shirin Akhter in a statement greeted working class people.

Bangladesh Trade Union Federation will hold a rally in front of the National Press Club and Jatiya Sramik Jot will hold a rally in front of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal office.

Dhaka Union of Journalists president Sohel Haider Chowdhury and general secretary Akhter Hossain in a statement said that rights and dignity of journalists were not established even after over 100 years of the historical day.

International Workers’ Day marks the 1886 uprising of workers at Hay Market in Chicago for their rights, including eight-hour working day.

Several workers were killed in police firing, for which the day was initially marked as a black day.

May 1 was adopted as International Workers’ Day by socialist delegates in Paris in 1889. More than 400 delegates met in Paris on the centenary of the French Revolution at the Marxist International Socialist Congress, the founding meeting of the Second International.

The 1889 resolution called for a one-time demonstration but it became an annual event in course of time. May Day was celebrated in Russia, Brazil and Ireland first in 1891.