The historic May Day (International Workers' Day) is being observed today in the country and elsewhere across the world in a befitting manner.
The day is a national and public holiday in Bangladesh.
This year's theme of the day is "Healthy workers, productive hands; a new dawn awaits".
President Mohammed Shahabuddin has extended greetings to all workers at home and abroad on the occasion of the day.
In a message on the eve of the day, he said the government had undertaken various programmes for workers' welfare, including labour law reforms, fair wages, social protection, pension systems, and safeguarding trade union rights.
Also on Thursday, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman emphasised that improving workers' living standards, ensuring their fair rights, creating safe working conditions, and upholding their social dignity remained the foremost priorities of the present democratic government.
"The working people are the main driving force behind the development, prosperity, and progress of any country," he said in a message.
The day commemorates the historic struggles and achievements of the labour movement.
Various organisations and trade unions will hold rallies and arrange programmes today to honour workers' rights.
May Day marks the start of the eight-hour workday.
The day is typically marked by processions, rallies, and discussions highlighting labour rights and welfare.
Since 1886, it has been observed across the globe to commemorate the supreme sacrifices of the workers for establishing the eight-hour working day and upholding the rights of the working class.
To press home their demands, the working class had to sacrifice their lives in tragic bomb attacks and police atrocities on May 1, 1886, and the following days.
In Bangladesh and all over the world, May Day is celebrated with due dignity as a day to realise the rights of workers.
All print and online media outlets in Bangladesh will publish various articles, while TV channels will broadcast programmes highlighting the importance of the day.
May Day is a national holiday in about 80 countries, including Bangladesh. It is celebrated privately in many more countries.
The international recognition of the day has brought about a huge change among the working class around the world.
The significance and impact of the day on the relationship between employers and workers is far-reaching, including reducing the daily working time of workers to eight hours.
Through May Day, social class discrimination gradually started disappearing due to revolutionary changes in the lives of working people around the world.
Although this discrimination has not been completely eradicated yet, the sacrifice of workers on May Day has largely freed the oppressed working class from the chains of subjugation.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com
