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International Labor Day, also known as May Day or Workers' Day, is celebrated on May 1 every year in more than 80 countries, including Bangladesh, India, France, Cuba, China, Russia and many more. The day is celebrated to recognize and honor the significant contributions of workers and to mark the historic labor movement aimed at promoting workers' rights and opportunities.
Although the original protest behind the day originated in the United States, it is observed on the first Monday of September.
International Workers' Day celebrations around the world
Among the different names are Labor Day and Works Day - these two names are most observed around the world. Besides, there are time differences in several countries. Most of the countries have chosen 1 May as Labor Day
May Day is a public holiday in Bangladesh. The President and the Prime Minister give speeches on the occasion. Various public and private organizations and organizations organize processions, labor rallies, discussion meetings, seminars, cultural programs to celebrate the day. Various organizations including various political parties, trade unions and labor federations hold separate programs on May Day. Every year May Day is celebrated with a theme.
The theme of this year's Bangladesh Day is 'Workers will build the country, Bangladesh will be smart.'
History of International Workers' Day
In May 1886, about 400,000 workers in various states of the United States called a strike to demand an 8-hour workday. Although the start was peaceful, the third day of protests in Chicago saw some violence. Several workers were killed when the police opened fire on the unarmed workers. As a result, the next day the protests escalated.
Protesters threw a bomb at the police. At the same time, police firing was going on. In this way, 7 police officers and 4 laborers were killed in the counter attack by both sides. The main person who threw the bomb was not identified but 8 workers were arrested. 7 of them were sentenced to death and one was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
This event, known as The Haymarket Affair, was enough to spur the labor movement in the United States.
The Haymarket incident gradually became an international symbol of the struggle for workers' rights. It is against this backdrop that 1st May was chosen as International Workers' Day.
Significance of International Workers' Day
The international recognition of May Day has made a huge difference in the realization of the rights of working people around the world. It was through this movement that the workers got their due social status. Working hours are reduced to eight hours. It is through May Day that workers' living standards have been improved and social inequality has started to decrease. To respect the rights and dignity of workers, May Day was celebrated in the camps of freedom fighters even during the Great Liberation War in 1971.
After Bangladesh became independent, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared May Day as National Day in a speech given to the nation in 1972. Since then, May Day has been celebrated nationally in independent Bangladesh with due dignity. But even after 53 years of independence in this developing country of ours, the spirit and significance of May Day has not been fully implemented.
In today's high price market where the price of every product is skyrocketing, how can a worker survive on just ten/twelve thousand rupees. So they had to start their movement after a few days. In the conflict between the owner's profit and the worker's wages, the workers are in the majority, but they are weak in power and exploited.
As a result, the production of clothing, food products and other consumer goods around the world has broken all records, but it remains beyond the reach of the interests of the workers. It is not understandable why the workers would struggle to get their minimum wage even if the owner gets the biggest share of the income after the product is produced and marketed.
From the little income that the workers earn, after minimally meeting the expenses of food, rent, clothing, medical treatment, they have no savings in hand but they have to be burdened with debt.
And as a result of the fourth industrial revolution, the employment of workers is continuously shrinking. All over the world they are continuously becoming unemployed. The state and the appropriate authorities should consider this matter judiciously.
Above all, on this day, employers, workers and the appropriate authorities of the state will set an example of humane behavior with their highest sense of discretion - this is the motto of May Day