Workers' uncountable contribution

Today, May 1, marks the day in 1886 when over 200,000 workers all over the US organised a nationwide strike for an eight hour work day, a standard that would eventually be accepted throughout the globe. Along with that has come the recognition of other rights of a worker – the right to a minimum wage, leisure time, a safe work environment, to organise and demand what is due to him/her – the right to be treated with dignity.

For low middle income countries like ours, labour rights have not always been the first priority in policy making or while doing business. The Rana Plaza tragedy and its aftermath have compelled the garments industries to take effective measures to ensure workers' safety and for the majority of factories, major improvements have been made.

But there is still a long way to go before we can claim to have ensured basic labour rights in the RMG industry, one of our most profitable sectors. There are still many instances of workers not being paid their salaries or festival bonuses, of being unfairly sacked, sexually harassed and working under unsafe conditions.

In the case of Bangladeshi migrant workers the rights scenario is no better, although the problem lies more with the recruiting countries. Even then, as a country that largely depends on foreign remittance for its laudable growth rate, we have not done enough for our migrant workers.

But the grossest violation of international labour laws occurs in the informal sector where workers rights are at mercy of the employers' whims. Domestic workers, for example, are the most exploited of all. A Domestic Workers Protection Welfare Policy 2015 that will provide registration and legal assistance still waits to be implemented.

It is high time that we, as a nation, sincerely honour international conventions and laws governing labour rights. We must acknowledge that it is these workers who are giving us our 7 percent growth rates, our foreign exchange reserves and keeping our homes in order. Isn't it about time we gave back for the invaluable benefit they provide us with?