Bangladesh is observing the historic May Day with due respect as elsewhere in the world.
The day commemorates the supreme sacrifices of the workers at Hay Market, Chicago, in the USA for eight-hour working a day and upholding the rights of the working class.
Several workers sacrificed their lives on May 1, 1886 and the following days, for realising their demands, in bomb attacks and heavy police actions.
Worker groups and trade unions, political parties, different government and socio-cultural and professional organisations have chalked out elaborate programmes to observe the day.
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.
On the eve of the day, Labour and Employment State Minister Begum Monnujan Sufian Tuesday shared the government’s initiatives for labour welfare and briefed the media about the national-level observation of the day.
The ministry has drawn up a two-day programme to observe the day at the state level.
The day’s programme will start with a mass rally from Shrama Bhaban in Motijheel at 7 AM and a seminar at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital.
At Dhaka University, Srote Abritti Sangsad will organize a cultural programme with poem recitation, songs and street drama at Teacher and Students Centre (TSC) premises.
State Minister Monnujan Sufian said the Labour Department has introduced online registration for trade union in the line with Digital Bangladesh vision of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
“There are 352 trade unions registered with the system in last one year alongside of publishing publicly accessible database consisting information about the labours and their organisations,” Monnujan added.
Monnujan said that there is a mobile application called – Labour Inspection Management (LIMA) to bring transparency in labour inspection centrally. The government has established dormitories in Kalurghat of Chattogram and Narayanganj port to facilitate accommodation for labourers, according to the junior minister.
Emphasising on skill development, State Minister Monnujan said the government has established 32 labour welfare centres to facilitate trainings to labourers, workshop owners and officials concerned in labour departments.
She also mentioned that there are developed two separate fund for welfare of the labourers and their family members.
State-run Bangladesh Television (BTV) and Bangladesh Betar along with private television channels and radio stations will air special programmes, while national dailies are set to publish special supplements highlighting the significance of the day.
