The country along with the rest of the world observed May Day, also known as International Workers’ Day, on Thursday with demands for ensuring worker rights, including right to workplace safety and right to forming and joining trade unions.
This year the theme of the day in the country was ‘Sramik-Malik Eak Haye Garbo E Desh Nutan Kore’ (Being united, workers and owners will build the country anew).
To observe the day, various labour bodies held rallies, brought out processions and organised discussions to press home their demands, including the national minimum wage of Tk 30,000 and workplace safety.
The day was  a public holiday.
May Day marks the 1886 uprising of workers at Hay Market in Chicago in the United States for their rights, including an eight-hour working day.
Several workers were killed in police firing in the incident, for which the day was initially marked as a black day.
Marking the day, chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus said at a programme in the capital that the talent and hard work of workers and owners were behind the progress of each sector in the country.
The labour and employment ministry held countrywide  various programmes to mark the day.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s labour front Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal held a workers’ rally in front of its Naya Paltan central office in the capital Dhaka at 2:00pm.
The Jatiya Party held a rally in front of its central office at Kakrail at 3:00pm.
The Communist Party of Bangladesh held a rally in front of its central office at Purana Paltan at 9:00am.
Different trade union workers’ bodies held rallies and brought out processions in front of the National Press Club to press home their demands for establishing rights of the workers.
Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad, a combine of 16 labour rights bodies   held a rally in front of the National Press Club at 11:00am demanding a national minimum wage of Tk 30,000 per month.
The Bangladesh Trade Union Centre held a rally in front of Meherba Plaza in the city at 10:00am.
The Imarat Nirman Sramik Union held a rally in front of its central office on Topkhana Road at 10:00am.
The Socialist Labour Front, Jatiya Mukti Council and Trade Union Federation held separate rallies in front of the National Press Club at 11:00am.
Bangladesh Trade Union Sangha, Bangladesh Naujan Sramik Federation, Bangladesh Hotel Restaurant Sweetmeat Workers Federation, Bangladesh OSK Garments and Textile Workers Federation and Bangladesh Sawmill Workers Federation, held a joint rally at Gulistan in the capital.
Dhaka Metropolitan CNG Drivers Unity Council, Dhaka Garment Manufacturers Workers Association, Dhaka District Printing Workers Union, and Dhaka District Vegetable Exporters Workers Union also participated in the day’s events.
Industrial Bangladesh Council brought out a May Day procession from Shram Bhaban in the capital.
Industrial Global Union general secretary Atle Hoye was present at the event, showing international solidarity with the workers in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Garment Sramik Samhati held a rally at Ashulia at 4:00am presided over by its president Taslima Akhter.
