The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The historic May Day is today. The day will be observed today across the world including Bangladesh alongside entire humanity to express solidarity with the movement for establishing socio-economic rights of the working-class people.

The day is a public holiday. Trade unions, political parties and professional organizations will observe the May Day by organising indoor discussions. But May Day rallies are banned under the current state of emergency.

The May Day, also known as International Workers' Solidarity Day, commemorates the historic uprising of working people in Chicago, USA, at the height of a prolonged fight for eight-hour workday.

In 1884, the Federation of Organised Trade and Labour Unions passed a resolution stating that eight hours would constitute a legal day's work from and after May 1, 1886. And that was achieved with blood spilled in a vigorous movement in the American city of Chicago.

The unions called a general strike to achieve the goal, as the workers were being forced to work 10, 12 and 14 hours a day in the heyday of industrial boom.

In Chicago, the heart of the movement, police and militia fired into a crowd of strikers at the McCormick Reaper Works Factory, killing four and wounding many on May 3, 1886.

The agitating workers called a mass meeting the following day at Haymarket Square to protest the brutality. Police again fired into the crowd, killing one more worker and injuring many. Amid the mayhem, a bomb was thrown at the police, leaving a policeman dead.

President Prof Dr Iajuddin Ahmed and Chief Advisor Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed have issued separate messages on the occasion, wishing the workers at home and overseas all the best.

Dr Iajuddin in his message said the contribution of the working-class people is undeniable to the socio-economic development of the country. In the present-day world, the vast population will have to be deeply involved in production-oriented activities to attain national prosperity.

"There is no other alternative to skill and united effort alongside establishment of labour- intensive industries," said Prof Iajuddin and adding, "In the current competitive world, we will have to attach importance to improving the quality of services and production and prices."

He called for improving worker-owner relations and congenial atmosphere in industry-worker management to uphold the significance of the May Day.

In a separate message, Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed said that the role of the working-class people is immense in development, production and construction in a country. He said the future of the country is closely linked with the welfare of the toiling people and change in their destiny.

"The government is implementing effective measures to establish the basic rights of the working-class people, especially their just wages, professional skill and appropriate working condition as well as to improve the workers-owners relations," said the Chief Adviser.