Like the rest of the world, the historic May Day will be celebrated in Bangladesh on Friday.
May Day, also known as International Workers’ Solidarity Day, commemorates the historic uprising of working people in Chicago, US, at the height of the long fight for an eight-hour workday in the late nineteenth century.
This year’s theme is ‘Shushtho Shramik, Kormoth Haat; Asbe aber nabo probhat’.
This day is a public holiday in Bangladesh.
Newspapers will publish supplements while radio and television channels will broadcast special programs highlighting the significance of the day.
Various socio-cultural organizations, political parties planned various programs to celebrate this day.
On May 1, 1886, 10 workers were killed when police opened fire on a demonstration near Hay Market in the American city of Chicago demanding an eight-hour workday instead of 12-hour shifts. At the height of the movement, the authorities had to accept the workers’ demands and the eight-hour workday was universally implemented.
On July 14, 1889, an international workers’ rally in Paris proclaimed May 1 as International Workers’ Solidarity Day in recognition of the sacrifice and achievement of the Chicago workers, and since 1890, the day has been celebrated globally as International Workers’ Solidarity Day.
This day is celebrated globally as International Workers’ Solidarity Day since 1890.
President Mohammad Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Tariq Rahman issued separate messages on the occasion.
In his message, President Shahabuddin said that martyr President Ziaur Rahman had taken many important steps to establish the rights and welfare of workers.
Continuing that legacy, the present government has adopted various programs and policies for the welfare of the working class.
These include reforming labor laws, ensuring fair wages, providing fair wages and social security for workers in the informal sector, introducing self-funded pension systems, ensuring trade union rights, reopening closed industries, providing food at fair prices, and ensuring job security for permanent workers and employees.
The President expressed hope that the implementation of these programs will improve the lives of workers.
Describing workers as the main drivers of the country’s progress, he said that the contribution of the working class to national development is huge.
To achieve the goal of building a prosperous Bangladesh, it is necessary to ensure workers’ rights, safe working environment and social security, he said.
Prime Minister Tariq Rehman in his message said that working people are the backbone of development, prosperity and progress of any country.
Industry, agriculture, infrastructure and a strong economy are based on their hard work, he said.
He said that improving their standard of living, ensuring proper rights, creating safe working environment and establishing social dignity are the major commitments of the present democratic government.
The Prime Minister wished for the overall success of all the programs organized on the occasion of May Day.