May Day: Workers’ groups rally in the capital
More than twelve labours' associations have staged rallies in front of the National Press Club on Saturday marking the International Workers' Day, also known as May Day.
Leaders of the organisations urged the government and stakeholders to ensure the rights of the workers in various sectors.
Bangladesh Institute on Labour Studies (BILS) authority in a written statement called for forming a high-level national committee, consisting of representatives of the government, employers, workers, buyers and donor agencies to ensure labour rights.
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It claimed that, in many cases, the owners have been closing factories without paying the wages of the workers against the government instructions.
BILS also demanded that the Covid-19 infected workers should be treated for free and all the labours need to be provided with ration cards for daily commodities.
May Day commemorates the historic uprising of working people in Chicago, USA.
On 1 May 1886, 10 workers were killed when police opened fire on a demonstration in Chicago near Haymarket Square demanding an eight-hour working day instead of a 12-hour shift. At the height of agitation, the authorities had to accept the workers' demand and the eight-hour day was introduced universally.
On 14 July 1889, an international workers' rally in Paris declared 1 May as the International Workers' Solidarity Day in recognition of the Chicago workers' sacrifice and achievement and the day has been observed globally since 1890.
