Published on 12:00 AM, May 01, 2016

President, PM greet workers on May Day

A woman cleans the floor while the family dines. Thousands used to help families like this before and also earn money but they were not considered workers under the Labour Act, hence losing certain benefits and protection. The recognition, however, came last December, and this is the first May Day they are observing as workers. The photo was taken in a Dhaka city apartment recently. Photo: Collected
Staff Correspondent

President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday issued separate messages greeting the working people of the country and wishing their overall welfare.

In addition, different political and labour organisations, particularly the labour wings of the parties, professional bodies and cultural organisations have chalked out elaborate programmes to celebrate the historic May Day today.

In separate messages on the eve of the day, the president and the prime minister expressed solidarity with the working class and urged all to come forward for establishing their rights and ensuring their welfare, reports BSS.

In his message, the president called for establishing good worker-owner relations, ensuring fair wages and safe and congenial workplace, and enhancing skills of workers.

There is no alternative to manufacturing world class products to survive in the competitive world, he added.

In her message, Sheikh Hasina paid deep respect to the people who embraced martyrdom to establish fundamental rights of the working people in Chicago in 1886, added BSS. 

"We are relentlessly working to follow the ideals of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for the welfare of the working people," she said.

The present government has reopened mills and factories, closed during the BNP-Jamaat regime, she said, adding that the government had already announced minimum wages for workers of 38 industrial sectors including garment.

Both the president and the prime minister wished all the May Day programmes a success.

In a message, Khaleda said the working class was still oppressed and deprived of their just rights across the globe including Bangladesh.

Khaleda Zia will speak as the chief guest at a rally this afternoon at the capital's Suhrawardy Udyan, organised by Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal to mark the day.

Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad will also address a rally at 3:00pm today at the party's Kakrail central office.

Different media outlets will publish and broadcast special supplements and programmes highlighting the significance of the day.

Top Stories