#thenewscompany – The historic May Day was observed in the country like elsewhere in the world today with a fresh call to continue movement for establishing the rights of working class people and freeing them from exploitation and deprivation. Tens of thousands of working class people of the country including the capital Dhaka joined street rallies and other activities to raise their voices for ensuring their rights and upholding spirit of the May Day.
Worker groups and trade unions, political parties, different government and socio-cultural and professional organizations arranged programmes to observe the day. The programmes included seminars, discussions meetings, colorful rallies and cultural functions from where the participants called for upholding labour rights and ensuring workplace safety. Leaders of different organizations demanded fixation of minimum wage at Tk 10,000, right of carrying out trade union activities freely, ensuring safety of workplace and free housing and medical facilities.
On the eve of the day, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had issued separate messages greeting the toiling messes. They extended their sincere greetings to all working people of the world including Bangladesh. The Labour and Employment Ministry had taken an elaborate programme to observe the May Day at the state level.
The day was a public holiday. The state-run Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar and private TV channels and radio stations aired special programmes while national newspapers published special supplements highlighting significance of May Day.
Different labour organizations brought out colorful processions in the city, organized discussions meetings, cultural programmes and milad mahfil in observance of the day. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addressed a discussion meeting at Bangabandhu International Conference Center in the afternoon. A colorful rally was brought out from Dainik Bangla crossing by the Labour and Employment Ministry and it ended at Jatiya Press Club (JPC). State Minister for Labour and Employment Ministry Md Mujibul Haq Chunnu led the rally.
Marking the day, Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Sramik Federation brought out a procession from the National Press Club. Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan inaugurated the procession. Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Jasad) held a rally in front of its central office at Bangabandhu Avenue. Information minister and organization president Hasanul Haq Inu addressed the rally as chief guest.
Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad (SKOP) held a rally in front of the National Press Club. Jatiya Sramik League President Shukur Mahmud presided over the rally while SKOP coordinator and Jatiya Sramik Federation President Kamrul Ahsan read out a declaration. It was attended, among others, by Shah Muhammad Abu Zafar and Advocate Delwar Hossain of Bangladesh Labour Federation, Fazlul Haq Mantu of Jatiya Sramik League, Dr Wazedul Islam of Trade Union Kendra, Mejbahuddin Ahmed of Jatiya Sramik Jote.
Islamic Foundation held a discussion meeting and milad mahfil in observance of the day. Dr Muhammad Abdus Samad presided over it. Jatiya Party held a rally at its Kakrail office. JP Chairman Husain Muhammad Ershad was present as chief guest. Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) jointly organised a discussion at the Jatiya Press Club marking the historic May Day.
Other organizations which observed the May Day through various programmes include Communist Party of Bangladesh, Workers Party of Bangladesh, Jatiya Sramik Jote, Garments Sramik Federation, Gano Sanghati Oikya, Garments Sramik Trade Union and workers Federation.
