The historic May Day is being observed in the country and elsewhere across the globe on Tuesday with a renewed pledge to build an exploitation-free society by establishing the rights of the working people.
Several trade unions, professional bodies, worker groups, political parties, socio-cultural organizations, different government and non- government organizations are celebrating the day through various programmes.
The programmes include colourful rallies, discussions and cultural functions.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the occasion of the historic May Day. They extended their greetings to all working people of the world including Bangladesh.
Leader of the Opposition Begum Rawshan Ershad also issued a message on the occasion of the day.
The May Day is also known as International Labour Day and the International Worker's Day which is celebrated at international level to promote and encourage the international labour associations.
It is being celebrated all across the world every year on 1st of May which has been declared as the traditional spring holiday in Europe. It has also been declared as the national holiday in almost 80 countries of the world whereas it is being celebrated as an unofficial event in most of the countries.
The day is observed across the world every year since 1886 commemorating the supreme sacrifices of the workers at Hay Market, Chicago, in the USA for an eight-hour working day and upholding the rights of the working class.
Working people sacrificed their lives on May 1, 1886 and the following days, for realising their demands, in bomb attacks and heavy police actions.
Like in the previous years, the Labour and Employment Ministry has drawn up a two-day programme to observe the Day at the state level.
As part of the programme, a colourful rally was brought out from Dainik Bangla crossing in the morning and it ended in front of the National Press Club on Topkhana Road after parading Dainik Bangla and Paltan intersections.
The day is a public holiday. All public and private offices, educational institutions, courts, banks and mills and factories remain closed.